Dollface
by violetdoodlebug
Summary: Deeks and Kensi's daughter Callie is a federal agent and begins to fall for her partner... but who's her partner? Meanwhile, Deeks and Kensi's son is expecting a baby with Nell and Eric's daughter.
1. Um

A/n: Hi! So I have this one shot thing, and after I got yelled at about making this a separate story thing... here we are. If you're here and not familiar with any of the one shots, here's what you need to know.

Kensi and Deeks are married, and so are Eric and Nell. Max and Callie are Kensi and Deeks' kids. Samantha (usually just Sammy) is Nell and Eric's daughter. Max and Sammy are together. Callie is a federal agent, as she wanted to follow in her Mom's footsteps.

**_This is the rewritten version that puts it in the same POV as the rest of the story._**

* * *

"Mom, dad. I'm um, pregnant," my brother said.

I smiled, crossing my arms over my chest. "This ought to be an interesting story."

Max shook his head. "I mean, she's um, as in like..."

His wife Sammy had had enough. "Max, I got this." He wrapped his arms over and around her neck. "What he's trying to say is, we're pregnant."

A small smile washed over Mom's face. Her cheeks were a warm red. She looked at the nervous yet contented looks on their faces.

"We know its kind of been a long time, we've been married for three years, but we're really excited," Max said, grinning down at Sammy.

Max was growing more nervous.I could tell by the look in his eyes, the apprehensive shallow breaths he was taking.

Dad looked like he couldn't believe it.

Not that he didn't see it coming or anything. It's just now that it was right in front of them, he must have been so excited and thrilled that he couldn't form words.

He'd spent upwards of the last 20 years being what he didn't have, a good father. And now his son, who was in his opinion one of the greatest men on the planet, was going to become one. And it just blew his mind. His baby boy was going to be a father. That didn't scare him at all. It filled him with love, and he loved the little baby already.

It made me happy too.

Noticing the petrified look on his son's face, Dad decided to verbally respond somehow. "That's amazing."

"Max, I don't know why you're so nervous. We're really happy for you," Mom said. "I want hugs."

She stood to meet her daughter in law and Max in a big hug.

"It's really not nerves, mostly just excitement," Max said, smiling lovingly at his wife.

"Do Eric and Nell know?" Dad asked.

"We told them yesterday," Sammy said.

"That's why they were being all secretive today! I knew something was up!" Dad exclaimed. Mom rolled her eyes.

"Come on, tea in the kitchen. Sammy, why don't you come help me?" Mom said.

"My pleasure!" she exclaimed.

As they migrated toward the kitchen, Dad stopped Mom. "She's so Nell," he said, gesturing toward Sammy.

"And he's so _you," _she said, referencing toward my brother.

"We're getting old. Grandparents," he said.

"Don't change the subject," she said. "You know you looked exactly like this when I was pregnant."

I smiled. Agh, parents still in love.

With that, she tapped him on the ass playfully and ran off into the kitchen. Max laughed, having also caught what our parent's thought was a private conversation.

He almost stepped into the kitchen himself, but I softly called after him, "Wait!"

"Yeah, Callie?"

I walked over to my brother. "I'm really happy for you. Congratulations. You guys really deserve this."

He pulled me into a hug. "Thank you, Callie. Have you told Mom about..."

"Shhhh..." I shushed him quicky. Damn you, Max. "She doesn't need to know."

"Mmmhm," Max said. "Whatever you say. She can probably help you, you know."

"No, its not a big deal. It'll be fine."

"I don't believe you." Max said, "But I guess its not up to me though, is it?"

"Not at all," I said, nodding.


	2. My Partner

A/N: This is out of hand.

* * *

A third rubber band flew past my ear. Obviously the glares were not enough to get him to stop.

"MJ if you don't stop…"

"What, dollface? What are you going to do?"

I narrowed her eyes again. Grrrr. My empty threats didn't scare my partner.

I'd been working for CGIS for a little over a year. NCIS had been my goal, but I was NOT going to work with my parents. CGIS was practically the same thing. I was still serving those serving my country, and I was still following in my mother's footsteps.

The days without cases were the most boring. I'm 25 years old, but I have the attention span of myself at 15. I tried to focus on my paperwork, but with every flick of a rubber band my partner sent at me, a little more of my sanity slipped away.

Although we've been partners for quite a while, she didn't know a lot about him. MJ stood for Martin Jr. He was from Florida. Moved to California for college, decided to follow his love of the ocean, and here we were. He'd been working here for two years before I came along. Apparently his last partner was a real piece of work.

He calls me dollface. Says I'm too pretty for this job.

He's also a jerk.

Sal showed up in front of me. He works in our tech department, and he's involved in informing us of new cases.

I turned away from MJ.

"Hey, um, we got a case. Ralph and Alex will meet you guys at the boathouse. Address is being sent to your phones."

"Thank you, Sal." I smiled.

As Sal walked away and I grabbed my SIG and holstered it, another rubber band hit my ear.

I turned, grabbed his wrist and twisted it down toward his desk and slammed it against the wood. "One more rubber band and you're going to lose that wrist."

He laughed. "You wouldn't hurt me."

"Wanna bet?" I asked, grabbing his keys, and jumping up. "And I'm driving."

"No!" he complained, following after me closely.

Our case was actually quite simple, we just had to assist the Coast Guard in finding some missing buoys. They had some data that the Coast Guard really didn't wanna lose.

At the end of the day, we were tired. "Plans this weekend, Deeks?"

"Yeah. My brother wants me to go with him and his wife to my parents Friday night."

"That sounds fun. Plans tonight?"

I shook my head. "Nah."

"I got beer. My couch misses you. It's been a few days."

Part of me wanted to do it. But a big part of me said this was a terrible idea. MJ infuriates me, pisses me off… but he's also… something else. Something I don't know.

"Don't you think we spend enough time together as is?"

He stepped a little bit closer to me. "What's wrong with getting to know my partner a little bit better? I don't even know your brother's name."

"His name is Max. Maxwell."

"See, these are the kinds of things we can talk about over beer. Come on. Please?"

"Alright, fine," I agreed.

"Cool. See you in 30? I'll get take out."

"Yummy yummy heart attack?"

"Oh yeah. It's open again! I know your usual, dollface."

"Don't call me that!"

"Too late!" he called back.

I giggled.

And then it hit me. That I was giggling.

Uh uh. No no. This was not okay.

Except I did nothing to stop it. And 30 minutes later, we were sitting cross legged on his couch drinking beer and eating dangerously unhealthy take out.

We were laughing and although he's infuriating, he's my friend. And I trust him.

And that's been hard for me to admit. Max somehow can always squeeze this shit out of me, and he knows that no matter how hard I'm trying to resist it, I'm falling for my partner.

He says I should tell Mom, and that she'll have good advice for me. But I mean, who was there for her? I can totally handle this. I can't fall for MJ. I can stop this on my own.

But MJ. There's something that just draws me to him. He's so familiar, but I just… I don't know.

Except when I woke up Friday morning on his couch…

There became a point where handling this myself may not be my best option.

But what the hell was I supposed to do? I slipped out quietly and quickly, early enough that I had time to get myself together, take a shower.

At work, he didn't make a big deal about it. He in fact, didn't even bring it up around Alex and Ralph, the other members of our team. It wasn't until almost the end of the day when he sent me a text that said, "I missed you this morning. You were welcome to stay."

I replied with, "I know I was."

I didn't know, and I don't know how I'm supposed to feel.

I was so close to talking to Mom about things, but after Sammy and Max's news… I couldn't. I couldn't take away from that. Not now. I was back to my original plan: deal with it myself.

After Sammy and Max left, Mom asked if I'd stay for dinner. Dad was going to run get take-out. I said that I'd stay. As soon as Dad was out the door, Mom turned to me.

"Callie Anne, what's going on with you?"

I furrowed my eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that your acting all normal, but you're not. I noticed your little conversation with Max. What's going on? Work stressing you out?" she asked.

"You could say that, I guess."

"Hard case?"

"Not really."

"Partner issues?"

I pursed my lips together. "Maybe a little bit."

"Tell me about him."

I took a deep breath. "Well, he's from Florida. He's really smart. Wikipedia like, almost." Mom laughed.

"What's his name?"

"Martin, but he goes by MJ."

"MJ?"

"Mmhm."

Mom looked puzzled. "Last name?"

"Martindale."

Mom turned white. "Do you know if maybe his dad named him after someone? An old friend?"

"He may have mentioned something like that. Why?"

Mom pressed her hand into my shoulder. "Callie, do you remember your dad's friend Ray?"

"Well, yeah. You told me all those stories, remember? Did I not just say he kind of reminded me of Wikipedia?"

Mom shook her head. "Callie, listen to me. MJ Martindale. Martindale. Ray Martindale."

It took a moment before it sunk in.

My partner…the guy who I was slowly falling for… was Ray Martindale's son.


	3. That Girl

"No. Mom, Mom that's not possible. He'd recognize my last name. He would have said _something._"

"Callie, did you recognize his last name?"

"Not, helping, Mom."

"Well! Just saying."

"What the hell am I going to do?"

"Calm down," Mom said. "Breathe. It's going to be okay, alright? There's no reason for you to freak out."

I shook my head. I hadn't quite gotten to the 'I'm falling for him' part of the story before this interruption started.

"Isn't it kind of cool? Ugh! Come on, your Dad is gonna love this."

"Mom, Mom. Can we maybe not tell Dad?" I said. "I need to talk to him."

"Is something else going on here, Callie?"

I'm a trained federal agent. I can lie to my mother, right? "No, I just need to talk to my partner. You of all people should understand that."

Mom nodded. "I understand that. But I also know that you're as good as hiding things as I used to be."

I heard Dad's car door slam. "I hope you don't mind if I ditch right after dinner."

Mom said. "No problem."

I was almost half sick to my stomach. I tried to eat quickly, but I physically couldn't. Dad and Mom were making jokes and messing around, and that should have made me happy, but it only made me feel worse.

There was always the slight possibility that MJ is not Ray's son. Right? Right. I can't know until I ask.

Dad was disappointed when I left promptly after finishing my dinner. I pulled my phone out of my pocket. One text from guess who? MJ.

"Hope things are good with your brother."

I started to text him back. "Yeah, things are good with Max. Are you busy? We need to ta…"

And I stopped. We were not having this conversation through text message. I got in the car and buckled up, pressing call as I pulled out of Mom and Dad's driveway.

He answered the phone on the second ring. "Hello? Callie? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Are you busy?"

"Gee, not even a hello? Whatever. What's going on, Dollface?"

"We need to talk."

"We do?"

"We do."

"As you know, my couch is your couch."

"It's really not."

"If we need to talk, my couch is open. Unless you'd rather go out or something."

"No, your house is fine. And we do need to talk. I'll be there in ten. No beer."

"No beer? Damn, this must be a big deal. Sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Okay."

Ten minutes later, I pulled into his apartment and got out. I picked his lock, not bothering to knock.

"I really should get you a key," he said, walking in from his kitchen.

"No, no you shouldn't," I said, shaking my head.

"Okay, you need to tell me what's going on."

I pulled my hands up to my face. Where do I even begin?

He handed me a glass of water and insisted I sit down. I took the spot next to him on the couch. "Tell me about your family," I said.

"That's with this is about? Us not knowing each other well enough?"

"No! Well, yes, just, just keep talking."

"Well, like I said. I'm from Florida. And I have an older sister."

"Continue."

"Nuh uh, girl. You got to give a little to get a little."

"Really? You're going to do this to me right now?" He nodded, grinning stupidly. "I hate you. From LA. Max is my brother, he's married, his wife is expecting."

"Oh, that's fun. Okay, what else?"

"Dad's name," I said, sucking a deep breath in.

"Ray."

I could feel my cheeks turn white.

"What?" he asked. I didn't respond. "Callie, what the hell is going on?"

"Tell me about your name. Martin Junior. Tell me how you got that name."

"My dad was really good friends with this guy named Marty. Saved his ass once or twice. When I was born, he wanted to pay tribute to his friend. He later found out Marty had a few kids of his own. Saw picture of 'em once, it was a long time ago. I was maybe, twelve? The boy was tall, blond. The girl, she was just beautiful. Never heard anything more about them though. But the stories I've heard… damn. Marty seems like one hell of a guy. And his girl, too. Heard lots of stories about her. Mackenzie, I think. Something along those lines."

"Do you by chance know what Marty's last name was?"

"Not off the top of my head. I could always call my dad…"

I raised my hand up. "Not necessary. MJ, the girl. Braces, yay tall, probably wearing a blue tank top and skinny jeans? Probably a pair of Chuck Taylors? Or barefoot?"

He snapped his fingers. "Barefoot, braces, blue tank top, skinny jeans, hair down, wavy. I shouldn't remember that, but I'm not kidding. She was pretty. Okay, your turn."

I wasn't ready for this moment, but this had to come out. "MJ, my name is Callie Deeks. My dad's name is Marty, my mom's name is Kensi. My dad's best friend's name was Ray Martindale. I know what the girl in the picture looked like because _I am _that girl."

"Marty Deeks," MJ whispered, once, twice, then three times.

"You're… you're… the daughter of the guy I'm named after."

"It would appear so."

"Well, this is a lot to take in. I guess we did need to talk."

"You're telling me. How did you figure this out? Don't we need to like, confirm this?"

"My evening with the family was enlightening."

"Your dad knows?"

"No, but my Mom does. Don't worry, she's not going to say anything yet."

"Yeah, I think I might owe Dad a phone call."

"What are we going to do?" I asked, biting my lip.

"What do you mean? There's really nothing to do. You're a damn good partner, I intend to have your back for quite a while."

"Have my back or watch it? And I thought you said I was too pretty for this job."

"Ouch, two insults in one statement. First of all, you are too pretty for this job, and second of all, it's my job to keep you safe."

My heart sped up, remembering how he'd called me beautiful and pretty twice tonight already. Before he even knew it was me.

"I can take care of myself."

"You shouldn't have to when you're with me."

I stopped breathing.

"What are we doing?" I asked him, slowly and thoughtfully.

"Honestly Dollface? I have no freaking idea."


	4. Wikipedia

"Wait, so is your mom Wikipedia?"

That was the first text message I received on Saturday morning.

He'd asked me to stay, but I refused. I wouldn't, I couldn't.

I've only stayed over at his place twice. Of course there was Thursday night after beer. And the other was after the most excruciating case of my short federal agent career. Not that it was really that grotesque or violent, but it was the first time I almost died.

It was the day I learned that I could trust my partner.

CGIS isn't known for taking down terrorists, but occasionally, we do. Its the same thing with undercover work. There isn't a lot, but it does happen. We're more likely to get blown up in an oil rig than get killed by some punk with a gun. But at least once a week someone is pointing a barrel at me.

I'm not perfect. I've done the training and all, but I've only been an agent for about a year. There's a big thing I'm still learning, have your partner's back, but also have your own.

And I was too busy keeping him safe that I almost got killed myself.

That bullet whooshed past my ear. I can still hear it. Had MJ not shot the guy and pushed me as hard as he could, I wouldn't be here.

And that night, I stayed.

He had beer, the kind I like even, and he had an understanding of what was going on in my head even when I wouldn't tell him. And somehow, he ended up learning that I trust him.

There were a lot of nights on his couch after that. None that were all night affairs. But plenty of movies and long, useless talks. And beer. He always has a six pack of my favorite beer.

So after a long talk, I found myself driving home at 2 am, trying to keep my emotions locked up where they belong. He fought so hard for me to stay. He tried, "it's late," and "you're tired," and even "you can take the bed, I'll sleep on the couch."

I couldn't possibly sleep in his bed. I didn't want my heart to palpitate out of my chest.

I knew I just needed to get home.

My apartment isn't glamorous, its actually quite a mess. Sammy and Max put me to shame. She's actually got quite the sense of style. Yeah, Nell's daughter alright. But they've been married for a good three years, of course they have their shit together.

I look at my brother and I look at my life and its incredibly obvious who's made the good choices. Mom and Dad did warn me about the 'perks' of this job. Not much of a life.

I am kind of bad ass though. That's nice. But in ways, it would be nice to have what my brother has. I'm can't see myself with kids anytime soon. Hell, I can't see myself even living with anyone else. Mom seems to think I'll grow out of that.

I picked my phone up to respond to MJ's message. "Yeah. She's Wikipedia."

"This is insane," he responded.

"You're telling me."

"Are you sure you don't wanna tell our dads?"

"Not yet."

"But your Mom knows."

"She won't tell him."

"You sure?"

"Positive."

"You're not doing things behind my back, are you? Partners don't keep secrets."

Is he inside my head? He's inside my head.

"What are we, kindergartners?"

"That's what we're acting like. Listen, we're adults. We don't depend on our parents anymore. We can do whatever the hell we want. Who gives a damn what our dads say?"

"You think they'll be upset?"

"I think they'll find it amazing and cool and try to meddle."

"Meddle? And do what, exactly?"

"I don't know. Make us be friends and stuff."

"We're not already... friends?"

"Of course we are. I don't want that to get lost in this."

"You're right. We're adults. We can do whatever we want. Its not up to them."

"So we're telling them."

"I didn't say that."

"We really should have figured this out last night before you left."

"Our communication needs a little work."

"Don't you mean your communication needs a little work?"

"You're an ass."

"I know."

"Do what you gotta do. I don't control you."

"I want to know what you want me to do."

"I don't know, MJ. Just, do what you gotta do."

"Callie, don't do this."

To that, I didn't reply. I didn't reply to his next three texts.

I did laundry. I watched TV. I went to the store. I took a nap. Mom called, and she didn't ask. I didn't share.

And Monday morning came way too soon.


	5. Undercover

A/n: Okay. So hi.

I've updated this a lot lately... that's gonna stop soon. More like how often I updated Track, if you read that. My life is about to get crazy busy, I think. I have to do real life again. This is more fun, but... life didn't ask me if I wanted to write fanfics or do real things. It had to happen. Enjoy this crazy while it lasts! I am!

This kinda has the potential to get pretty long... and have chapters without much Kensi or Deeks. So if you're waiting for Densi, there will be some of that (oh, the next two chapters maybe?). But lots of allusions to Densi moments we love when they aren't around. It's Ray's son, and that'll be the focus at times.

Okay, enough from me.

* * *

Before the Monday morning banter even began... Sal was standing in front of my desk.

"Hey, guys. Case on deck. Well, kinda."

MJ winked as he followed me through the building to our tech center.

"Keep it classy," Alex said, slapping MJ on the shoulder a little bit. "Miss Deeks doesn't need your shit."

"Thank you!" I said, throwing a high five in Alex's direction. He's our team leader. Reminds me of Callen, in ways. He's always looking out for me.

"She can take care of herself," Ralph said, laughing.

These guys really have made me their own. It's beautiful and amazing, and I see the satisfaction in this job. I see that it's hard and stressful and terrifying, but I see its rewards.

Sal took his spot next to his partner, Keith. Our boss Leah also stood next to the monitor.

I like Leah, I sincerely do. She believes in me and she trusts me. She makes these boys behave, and she firmly believes I am part of the reason they aren't out of control.

But she shouldn't be here. Briefing us on a case is not in her job description.

"Deeks, Martindale," Leah said. "This one's big for you."

Well that didn't sound good.

"This is 62 year old Eric Conners. On the left is his wife, Kayla. She passed away of a heart attack yesterday. This is believed to be due to her health, not an outside source," Sal said.

" was a member of the Coast Guard for over 30 years. Recently, he reported that there had been strange activity around his home, and that he felt he was being followed," Keith added.

"LAPD has confirmed that this white Dodge Charger has in fact been following Conners, and that a series of men pictured here, have been around his beach side property in the last seven days," said Leah.

"Mrs. Conners with be buried in her hometown in Wisconsin. We've assured Mr. Conners full protection detail while we figure out what's going on," Sal said.

"So we're going to Wisconsin," I said.

"No, Hamilton and Donaldson will be going to Wisconsin," Leah corrected, gesturing to Ralph and Alex. "You two will be going undercover."

My heart sank in my chest. "Undercover?"

"Mr. Conners will be attending his wife's funeral, making burial arrangements, and spending several days with his wife's family before he returns to LA. While he is away, MJ will be Elijah Conners, and Callie, you will be Amelia Conners. You'll stay in Conners home and take care of his two dogs Jake and Noel," Keith said.

"We're going undercover as dog sitters?" MJ asked. He sounded kind of pissed off.

"Not exactly. Conners has a nephew named Elijah, and he's currently on his honeymoon with his wife Amelia in France. He'll be unable to attend the funeral in Wisconsin, thus the perfect cover. You'll take care of the dogs, obviously, but also figure out if someone is trying to get into Mr. Conners home. You'll stay there. If they were to follow him to Wisconsin, Alex and Ralph would take it. If he sticks around, you two can stop it."

My mind stopped at honeymoon and wife.

"So we're going undercover as a married couple?" I practically shouted. No one answered me. I turned to Leah. "Leah, I've only been undercover one time. Once. It was two hours as a wine saleswoman. I can talk my way through anything that has to do with alcohol. But this is big. A big deal. And I can't. I'm not ready for it."

Leah looked me straight in the eye. She's about three inches taller than me, but it was enough to make me nervous. "I'm your boss, and you are my agent. I know what my agents are and aren't ready for. This will be a challenging case, Callie. But follow MJ. He knows how to do this. He'll teach you what you need to know. Have faith in yourself. Have faith in your partner."

I swallowed hard.

"Yes mam," I replied.

"Keith, get Donaldson and Hamilton their info and send them on their way. Sal, brief Deeks and Martindale fully on their covers. Go home, pack, get some rest. This op begins in three days, upon the final autopsy result of Mrs. Conners." With that, Leah was gone.

Nervously, I stepped toward Sal's desk. He handed me a folder, with my new identity. I felt my knees weaken and everything became almost blurry. I could feel a scream deep in my throat, but I held it in, I held it in for as long as I could. It came out as a sigh when MJ's hand hit the middle of my back. Could he tell that I was about to have a breakdown?

"LAPD surveyed the property and did not find any security cameras for you to be concerned about, except for one. It's on the light post in front of the house, and it points directly into the living room window. Due to the layout of the house, the kitchen is also visible. In those two rooms, you'll most definitely need to act married. We can't rule out small cameras, but they're highly unlikely. Just do your best to appear married at all times, just to be safe. We're concerned that you appear married, not sound it. Audio doesn't matter. Visual. At all times when interacting with neighbors or out of the house, you'll obviously need to have the entirely your cover stories. It's a beach property, and the ocean is behind the house. Questions?" Sal said. I didn't reply, and neither did MJ.

"If you do come up with any, Leah will be here Thursday before you go under. You'll leave your personal devices here and retrieve the necessary equipment to maintain your cover."

Upon being briefed, I quickly returned to my desk to grab my backpack and car keys. I threw my folder into the passenger's seat and turned my phone off and drove. I still couldn't breathe.

First big undercover mission.

Married to MJ. Or well, Elijah.

How on earth was I going to do this?


	6. Justin and Melissa

Ever since Max left for college, he got in the habit of calling home every day. We're not sure if he started doing it because he missed home or if he didn't want Mom or Dad to worry about him or if he himself was worried about Mom and Dad.

When I started working at CGIS, those daily phone calls got split. Now, every other day I get a phone call, and when I don't, Mom and Dad do. I think it's probably more about the fact that everyone he loves puts themselves in harm's way every day. His wife Sammy does some sort of funky coding thing for the government; I don't know what it's called. It's not gun dangerous, but it's still got plenty of risks.

I think it weighs a lot on my brother. He talked to dad a lot about that before he chose his final career path. He wanted to help people, but he didn't want to worry. I remember watching it, I was around 13. Dad smiled as he told him, "You don't have to be a lawyer or law enforcement to help people Max. You can do almost anything, and still help."

Max had a love for animals since he was a little kid. It makes so much more sense for him to be a vet than a lawyer. And he loves his job and he's happy.

Ugh, he and Sammy needed kids a long time ago. He's going to be a great father.

I know he worries about me, too. Which is why I get his phone calls now.

Generally, we have the same lunch break these days, unless I'm on a case. He generally calls me at lunch anymore. There might have been a few occasions in which I ignored his calls because I was busy getting tipsy on MJ's couch...

Oh yeah. He called me out on that. It was cool that I was hanging out with someone, he didn't care. But when it was my partner, that's when the pressure to talk to Mom about it set in.

He doesn't take well to being ignored. Calling me around noon usually guarantees I'll answer.

Today was no exception. I'd only been home for an hour or so, and I hadn't accomplished anything. The stress was piling on strong. I ran around trying to throw a bag together, trying to study my cover. I still had my phone shut off... and the landline rang.

And Max immediately wanted to know what was going on.

I tried to BS the whole thing, but he called me out on that. I ended up saying that I was studying for a case and I'd be away for a few days near the end of the week. He seemed satisfied with my answer, but ended with another installment of, "You need to talk to Mom."

Yeah, I knew that needed to happen. I just, I didn't want to.

It would be okay. They would give me really good advice, right? Dad would still be clueless about who my partner was, so being 'married' wouldn't phase him. I just needed to not mention his name, and hope Mom kept her mouth shut.

Although Mom knows how to do undercover work, Dad is definitely more into it than she is. Both of their advice would be helpful. Mom on how not to die in a house with my partner, Dad on how to sell a cover.

There's just one little problem. Mom will not advise me on going undercover with someone you're maybe kind of sort of into. She doesn't know that I'm maybe a little bit turned on by him. Which is a good thing. She does not need to know that. I'll get this under control, right? Yeah. Right. I will not fall in love with MJ. Got it.

Mom and Dad have a date night on Thursdays, so I figured if I got there early enough, they wouldn't have any plans yet. Not on this gross Monday night. When they pulled in the driveway, I was already sitting out front.

Mom presented me with a cup of coffee because I 'looked tired' or whatever. I was uncomfortable enough as is, so I tried to get right to the point as we sat down at the kitchen table.

"I'm going undercover."

Mom didn't show any signs of panic. Dad however…

From day one, she's been more confident in me than Dad. She realizes that I'm a big girl and that I can take care of myself. Dad however, he still sees me as his baby girl. He believes in me too, but he's apprehensive because he wants to protect me. His puppy dog eyes made my stomach churn.

"Undercover? Callie, you've only been an agent for…" Dad began.

"Shut up, Marty. Leah Parker wouldn't put our daughter up for something she's not ready for," Mom said, slapping his thigh, setting her mug down on the table. "When do you leave?"

"Thursday," I said. "I was hoping, maybe you could give me some advice?"

Dad leaned in. "Of course, Cal."

"How exactly do you go about… pretending to be married to someone?"

Mom's eyes went big, but she squished her lips together and relaxed. She was quiet, and I was relieved.

"You're going to be married to…" Dad started.

"My partner. We're mostly doing some surveillance things, but we'll be living in the same house as a married couple for several days."

"How married do you have to be?" Mom asked. I could see the thought of Ray's son and I having sex dancing through her mind. It obviously scared her, but honestly, it scares me too.

"Visually. It's more important that we look married than that we sound it, unless we're outside of the house. There's a few rooms we're supposed to be careful in, but mostly, it's just glorified cohabitation, I guess. I mean, we don't have to be married like 24/7."

"So your partner, is he, a gentleman?" Dad asked. Mom slapped him again.

"She's not asking to be interrogated, she's asking for advice," Mom said. I took a deep breath. Love that woman. "Your partner has been an agent for a few years, yes? I think you said that before. I'm sure Leah has already told you. Follow his lead. He'll teach you what to do."

"But, how do I do this? Pretend to be married to him? Isn't that… weird?"

"It probably will be," Dad said. "When you're undercover, you aren't you. You have to find a part of yourself deep inside that you truly aren't. That's who you become when you're undercover. It might be awkward for you, but for that girl deep inside of you, it isn't. You won't find that this case. But if you keep doing undercover work, changing identities will be a part of life."

I've heard very, very little of 'Max Gentry.' That alias got put to rest around the time big brother was born, but still. That's what Dad's talking about.

I don't want to have a Max Gentry.

"So how do I get through this case?" I asked.

"Pray," Mom said. I gulped.

"Do what you have to do to protect your cover. Protect your partner and yourself. Don't forget what's most important," Dad said.

I bit my lip. "What about, in bed? Like, to sleep?"

"He has his side, you have your own. If you want the right side, you better claim it," Mom joked. Dad chuckled.

Justin and Melissa. Right. Sometimes I forget these stories.

When I was around 6, bed time stories transitioned from books to 'stupid things we did at work.' They filtered out the 'we almost died' and just told me the stupid stuff and added 'and we saved the world' at the end. Justin and Melissa was one of my favorites.

Damn. Justin and Melissa?

That's totally going to be Amelia and Elijah.

I still can't breathe.


	7. Childhood

There's a lot of comfort your childhood room can offer you. It can become a safe place, a hideaway. And that was exactly what it became.

Monday night, I curled up in a bed I haven't slept in since I was a mere teen. Before college, before partners, before undercover. And for a moment, when I woke up Tuesday morning, I forgot about all of that. I was a girl of barely 18, trying to remember if I'd finished my AP Chemistry lab paper.

Of course, that didn't last. I wandered around my old room. Boxes full of clothes I hadn't seen in years. Jewelry I'll never wear. Stuffed animals I'd forgotten about.

I eyed a familiar blue tank top, and decided to take a closer look into my closet.

Damn, I could probably still wear most of this.

I grabbed the blue tank top, a pair of jeans, and padded off toward the bathroom. The warm shower water drizzled down on me, and I felt the tightness in my muscles relax.

After drying off and throwing the clothes on, I went back to my room. I opened up drawer after drawer, went through notebooks from high school. I felt old, staring at Macbeth and Great Expectations notes I'd taken at 15. I laughed, looking at the arrows I'd drawn next to lines of the literature I didn't understand. "This is BS," and "Who the hell wrote this anyway?"

I came across a picture of Sammy and Max the day Sam's son Aiden became a father. They looked so happy. Barely 17, the two already knew they were meant for each other. But you know, college comes before marriage I guess. Sammy holding that cute little baby boy with Max's arms around her neck has to be the most perfect thing I've seen all day. Mom and Dad's work family easily became our family, and it's a bond I love. I put the photo aside to share with my brother later.

The clock read 11:30. I thought it might be time I high tale it home and get back to the reality in front of me... when the home phone rang. My cell was still off- no way MJ was going to find me right now. When I answered, it was Dad.

"Hey Cal," he said. "I'm taking a half day. Why don't you and I do something together this afternoon?"

There were a lot of things he could have been trying to do at this point, but I didn't care. It wasn't packing for my case, and it was time with Dad.

"Yeah, sure," I agreed.

"Cool, I'll be home in thirty. Oh, and turn your cell on before your brother and your mother have heart attacks."

I didn't follow that instruction. What can I say? I'm a stubborn ass.

I'm not supposed to know where NCIS is... but I do. Duh. I knew long before I became a federal agent myself. I met Dad there at noon. He and Mom were walking toward their car; I presume she was going to lunch. When they got to their car, Dad pulled Mom into him sweetly and slowly, kissing her strongly. Their foreheads hit together, and I smiled.

So in love.

As my father's daughter, it's hard not to crave that for myself. But as my mother's daughter, I'm so stubborn that I claim I don't need it.

Like I said, it would be so much easier to be Max.

Dad pulled away from Mom and started to head toward me. She yelled something after him, but he smiled and waved her off.

I rolled down the window as Dad walked up. "Hey Dad."

"Hey baby girl. You wanna let me drive?"

"Why I can't drive?"

"You don't necessarily know where we're going."

I shrugged. "Touché."

Instead of getting out, I slid over into the passenger seat and Dad hopped in. We drove quietly. He turned on the radio, changing my preset, and jammed a little too much. I was laughing though, so I guess that's a good thing.

After one hell of a long drive, I finally realized where Dad was taking me too.

And after all these years, it looks almost the same. A dusty plot of land, just rocks, a few lone cacti lacing the edges. The epitome of the desert.

This is where on my 16th birthday; Daddy took me to drive for the first time.

I guess your childhood can't protect you from you from your adulthood.

There was something deep about this moment between my father and I. Almost not describable. We opened the sunroof of my car and laid the seats back. It was hot but we were content and quiet.

"Thank you, Dad."

"What for?"

"For being here for me. For being the man you are. For giving me the childhood you never had."

He smiled, rolling his head to the side, looking away from me. "Ah, Callie. That's not something you thank me for."

"You did everything you could for me, and you still do," I said. "That definitely deserves thanks."

He looked back at me. "You're my daughter. My baby girl. I will go to the ends of the earth for you. I love you more than you'll really ever know."

"I love you too, Dad," I grinned.

"Which is why I'm just… a little worried. How well do you know your partner?"

What? What was he doing?

"Well enough."

"Can you trust him?" he asked.

"Absolutely."

He got real quiet, and I noticed a glistening drop of water well up in the corner of his eye.

"Can I trust him?"

I took a deep breath. "Dad."

"I have to know, baby girl. I have to know."

I closed my eyes. When I opened them, I could almost feel tears straining my own eyes. "Yes. You can trust him to keep me safe. He's a profoundly good man. He honors the man he was named after very well."

"I don't know what that means," he whispered.

The look of fear in my father's eyes was too much, way too much. It made my heart hurt and it made me scared almost. In that moment, I couldn't stop myself from telling him.

"My partner is Martin Junior, or MJ. MJ Martindale. Ray's son."

Dad's eyes got wide, and a smile broke across his lips. "You know, your partner is, MJ Martindale? He's in California? And you're…"

The joy on Dad's face, the way his body relaxed, and the way his hand ran through his hair.

"Yes. MJ is my partner."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I actually just found out a few days ago. I've never actually met Ray, and I mean it's not like I was thinking about it."

"You kids, how did neither of you get it?"

"We got it now, Dad!"

"This is pretty cool. And I gotta admit, it does relax me knowing it's him who has your back."

He was so thrilled, so calm. Maybe I should feel that way too.

"So," Dad began. "Can I give you one more piece of advice?"

"Sure," I nodded. "I can take all I can get."

"You told me you trusted your partner. You've got a lot of things to talk about before Thursday. So turn your damn cell phone back on and stop hiding from him."


	8. Peace Offerings

a/n: Not so sure about this one, really... it's a little chunky. I hope it isn't that bad. It'll get better from here.

* * *

I showed up on his door Wednesday morning around 10 with a tub of cookies. He opened the door, and by the look on his face, I could tell he was surprised I was there.

"Hi," I said, stepping into his place, not giving him any option on whether or not to let me in.

"Whatcha got there?" he asked, pointing to the tub.

"Cookies."

"Are they edible?"

I narrowed my eyes. "Yes, you idiot."

"What did I do to deserve cookies?" he asked.

"They're a peace offering. I've been ignoring you for a couple of days," I said.

"I noticed," he said.

"Listen, this op scares the shit out of me. I just needed some space. And um, I told my dad about you. Yesterday."

He stepped closer to me, pushing a strand of my hair out of my eyes. "Do you trust me?"

I nodded, slowly.

"Right. I think you do trust me. And Callie, I trust you too. We can do this. All this is going to be is you and me, hanging out, doing our thing, and keeping our eyes open. Hang out on the beach, maybe talking to some neighbors, going on runs... it'll be nothing. It's only hard in your head. You're going to get in there and it's going to click."

I tried to brush off his sweet words, as they truly touched me, and reminded me of the intimate nature of this assignment. I cracked open the cookie tub and extended it to him.

He tenderly reached in, barely poking one cookie. I scowled again, until finally, he picked up a cookie. He sniffed it, before finally pressing it to his lips.

"Not bad. Where'd you buy them?"

I slugged him in the gut. It was going to be a long few days.

* * *

It was a little after ten thirty on Thursday morning when we pulled into the cover house. I wanted to reach for my phone, call Mom and let all my pent up emotions flow out, but the phone in my pocket was not my own. It was 'Amelia's'.

"Alright, wifey, let's go," MJ flashed me a smile, way too excitedly. As we collected our bags from the car, the weight of the diamond ring on my finger made everything heavier.

We went up the front steps, and the dogs greeted us at the door. They were sweet, and reminded me of Monty. Damn, I missed that mutt. I might have to think about getting a dog one of these days. Max would approve.

I paused, not knowing what to do. Follow his lead, I thought. He quietly locked the door behind us and pointed me toward the stairs, taking my bag from me. We found the guest bedroom, and slowly moved our things from the bags to an empty dresser.

I tried to move quickly, wrapping unmentionables inside tee shirts and hoping he wouldn't notice. My eyes glanced down to the bed, the bed we'd be sharing in just a short few hours, and my head began to spin. I heard a nose suddenly, and immediately I turned, reaching for the gun hidden, holstered up at my hip. Then, a pup hopped up on the bed, and I sighed.

MJ stepped closer to me. "Relax," he whispered in my ear. "We've only been here for five minutes. You can't be so jumpy downstairs, okay? I'm going to go put my stuff in the bathroom. You take a minute, reorganize your clothes. Meet me downstairs when you're done. We'll take a walk."

As he walked away, I sat the down on my bed, looking at the little puppy. I grabbed at the collar. It read, "Noel." I petted her little head. "Hi Noel. I'm Callie," I whispered. "But you'll have to call me Amelia."

Ten minutes later, Noel at my side, I stepped down the stairs to meet MJ. He was flipping through the TV stations.

"Gotta see what we'll be watching for the next few days, Dollface," he said, before standing to greet me. The large window in front of me felt like a microscope lense. Were we being watched?

He stood, and when I got close enough, he laced his fingers through mine. "Let's walk. Get a better idea of the layout."

With his fingers wrapped around mine, our hands dropped to our sides, we walked. The kitchen was spacious and beautiful, just like the entire house. Noel followed, and Jake was tailing too. MJ stopped in front of a couple of sliding glass doors. The house was just so nice… who was this guy? Was he rich?

He looked over at me, grinning this huge, huge grin. I didn't understand. Until all of the sudden, he dropped my hand and pushed the blinds out of the way and opened the door. My eyes went wide, and he pulled me out on to the balcony.

The beach was just beautiful. The sand and the sun… steps away. I let out a laugh I didn't even know I had in me. The stress and anxiety began to melt away in the warm sun, as I began to believe his earlier words… we're hanging out. Just keeping our eyes open.

And suddenly, we got very, very married. As I took in the ocean view, his hands wrapped through mine and he tucked them between me and the balcony. He tucked my neck under his chin. I tried to stifle the smile… but I guess since I'm _Amelia_, I'm allowed to be happy that _Elijah _is touching me.

_Callie_ isn't allowed to be happy when _MJ_ touches her. But I'm not _Callie_. So…

This might not be THAT bad. _Amelia_ just has to control herself enough so that _Callie_ doesn't end up embarrassed.

* * *

We took a run that evening. In passing, we waved to the neighbors. They weren't necessarily that close in proximity, but they were close enough that we'd have to pay them a visit soon.

We took the dogs with us. It had only been a few hours, but for some reason, I took a liking to the little furry blob that Noel was. I'd never met sweeter dogs in my lifetime. Well, of course, Monty could be the exception. Ugh. Mom and Dad. Sent my heart racing again. Except we were running, so my heart was already racing. It just hit me again. Also, the bra holster was not one I was quite used to yet. When I run, it's in athletic shorts and a sports bra. Trying to cover the gun up with a big tee was not my cup of tea. Speaking of which… how is MJ carrying?

The street was pretty remote and calm. The beach was empty, practically. There was practically nothing out here. We saw no white Charger, no suspicious people. It was calm. Maybe too calm.

Stopping in front of the house, MJ noticed my uncomfortable expression and let out his own peace offering. "You can have the first shower, Ams."

Of course. Undercover for nine hours and I was already getting new pet names. He took Noel's leash from me and tapped the middle of my back softly. The little things he did, to convey marriage, to sell our cover to anyone who could be watching, they blew my mind. He's so good.

The shower was good, and exactly what I needed. I tried to let it wash away my doubt. He'd proven that this would be okay. Relax. He's got you.

And that was when I realized it wasn't the op that scared me. It was getting close to him like this. It was the fact that she was _Amelia. _And it only made me nervous because _Amelia _was going to get everything _Callie_ has been trying to convince herself she doesn't want.

I'm afraid of falling for my partner. Being married to him makes it real. I get to have him for now. But its having him, and letting go of him when its all said and done. If I don't make a fool of myself, that is.

If I fall for him, will I ever be able to come back?

And I truly began to comprehend the consequences of falling for Ray's son. My partner.


	9. Pretending

I woke up slowly on my first morning in bed with my partner.

I don't know how it happened exactly. It was slow. And warm. And absolutely perfect. It felt absolutely right. I felt a sense of safety I don't feel anymore in this occupation. It's terrifying, but death is around me all the time now. Its what I've grown accustomed to this past year.

As those peaceful emotions rushed through me, I suddenly felt the panic set in. Where am I? Who am I in bed with? What am I doing?

Oh. Right. Undercover.

MJ. Elijah. Whatever his name is.

I took a slow breath in, deeply filling my lungs. I kept my eyes closed, and I lay as stiff as possible.

His hands weren't touching me, but he was still pressed against my back. I didn't know if it was his back or his stomach, but I know it was warm, and his rhythmic breathing made it hard for my to think.

Almost sensing my tension, he sprung awake. I made sure my eyes were pressed shut as he sat up. He murmured "Shit," under his breath, pulling away from me and gracefully and gingerly rolling out of bed. He covered me up, draping the quilt back over the top of me. He also pushed a strand of my hair out of my eyes, before I heard him pad off toward the dresser and then, out of the room.

Once he was gone , my eyes fluttered open in time to see fluffy mass plop down next to me. Little miss Noel paying me a visit. She gave me two quick licks and then snuggled up next to me just as MJ had.

How did that even happen? When we went to bed...

I had gotten out of the shower, and he'd made an oven bake pizza. We watched TV, did our check in, set a couple security cams, and we went to bed. I had of course, remembered to claim thd right side. He didn't seem to mind, and he took his separate side. It took a while for me to get to sleep. It was hard to process. In bed with my partner? With Ray's son? Like no. But at the same time, it was exciting and ugh.

My genetics have me screwed. Mom's "No I can control my emotions I do not need this" and Dad's "I literally do not want to take my hands off of you please love me back" mix in my head and its hard for me to know what I want.

So sleep was definitely a struggle. But once I drifted off, it was pretty smooth sailing. We got in bed without awkward, and somehow I got to sleep without awkward. So it was only appropriate that we'd somehow wake up weird.

Except I don't know if that was my doing or his and that's concerning. Like, what the hell did his shit mean? Shit she's touching me? Shit I am touching her? Shit that just happened? What the hell?

A few minutes later I heard his soft voice call for Noel. She failed to budge, so he came in quietly to grab her. My eyes shut again so I wouldn't get caught, and once I heard the front door close, they opened again.

I tried to let my heart stop pounding. I tried to even out my breathing. He was allowing me to sleep in, and I needed to take that.

But my mind kept drifting to how intimate this entire encounter was. I pondered how my parents dealt with this as Justin and Melissa... good Lord I just want to call Mom and scream.

I tried to put myself back to sleep by pushing MJ out of my mind. I tried to think about my brother and Sammy, I ran stories through my head. That time I was out with my best friend Lillyanne and we wound up in a little... trouble. I wasn't a party girl in high school, and neither was Lillyanne. But she's very pretty and I played basketball. We were invited to plenty of parties. Max drove and picked us up, dropping Lil off before scolding me, kissing my forehead and telling me not to worry him like that again. He took me to his apartment, Sammy was there, let me take a shower and get cleaned up. He even called Mom and Dad and told them he had me and I was staying. Sammy made me watch chick flicks with them until weird hours in the morning before she fell asleep in his arms.

I played out memories from long, long ago. That time I got the chicken pox, when I kicked those third grade boys' asses on the soccer field in second grade...

Nothing. Nothing put me to sleep. Noel had found her spot beside me again, so I rolled over, pulled her into my arms, and headed toward the stairs.

Carefully I made my way down. Something smelled good, and I noticed a candle burning on the snack bar.

And bacon. I instantly reached out for it, and MJ turned around. "Hey!" he proclaimed.

"What, its not like it was for the dog." He rolled his eyes. He smiled, signifying that I could have more bacon.

"So Callie, what we doing today?"

My eyes went wide. "Don't you mean Amelia?" I whispered. He laughed.

"We only have to use cover names outside of the house. Pretend you love me in here. Act like it. You don't have to say anything. Just do it."

I don't have to pretend, I thought.

Callie!

Pretend that you have to pretend.

I opened my mouth to say something, because though he didn't need to know that I was falling head over heels for him, he needed to know he did have more worth to me than he was giving himself credit for. But a timer let out a buzz, and suddenly there were cinnamon rolls in my face...

"I brought something else you know," he said, sitting in a barstool. He pulled over the tub and opened it revealing the cookies I'd brought him Wednesday.

"You know I baked those, I didn't buy them."

"I know," he smiled. "And they're awesome."

I felt a blush warm my cheeks. Agh.

"So, today," I said, crunching on another bacon. "Surveillance? Maybe some sunshine?"

"Beach sounds good. We can definitely do that. Maybe arrange to meet the neighbors for say, tomorrow?"

I nodded to his plan. Swimwear it was. Upon finishing breakfast, we ran upstairs and got changed.

Luckily, I've never really had to do the skimpy outfit bar thing. I've always been dressed respectively around MJ. And standing in the bathroom, wearing nothing but a small bikini made me feel uncomfortable. Was I crossing some sort of partner line? Should I have tried to find something more... modest?

I'm pretty sure of myself. Maybe not my agent abilities yet, but I know that I'm something guys tend to ogle over.

Not anxious to test the waters, I slipped my cover up on. It covered my chest stomach and fell to the top of my thighs. Plenty of skin showing, but plenty still hidden.

I closed my eyes, knowing that a shirtless MJ was quite the sight. I didn't want to do something I'd regret.

But once we got outside, that was Amelia's problem, not Callie's. And this just got more and more dangerous as time went on.

Because before we even got out of the house, his eyes traced the end of the fabric on my thighs and hips and I felt the gaze even though he tried to make it less obvious. I prayed he didn't see the way my eyes ate up his smooth, beautiful chest.

The day was peaceful. I got to walk along the shore with one of my best friends. I got to hold his hand and I got to rest in his arms. His lips stayed off, but that was probably for the best, if we're being honest...

It felt good to be the reason he smiled, even if it was fake.

The cover up was shed after our interaction with the neighbors, who we would be meeting tomorrow for lunch. He'd tugged on the fabric, not pulling it, but offering "Is this really necessary?"

The problem quickly became that I could never tell what actions were out of Elijah's cover and which were MJ's desire.

Because all of Amelia's actions came from Callie's fantasies.

How close are we as partners? What is this mission going to do to us?

It was hot, and so we came in. A light lunch, a check in, a trip out with the dogs and to check our security cameras, dinner, and a few episodes of Marry Me later... we were getting ready for bed again.

Nothing that night could have prepared me for the next day. Nothing. Even when I felt his breathing on my neck as he fell asleep. Not even when his leg brushed up against my fluffy pajama pants. Nothing at all.


	10. Lace

A/n: Hey! So, housekeeping. So only about one more chapter of undercover, and then we'll be back to actual life. More Max, more Densi, more motherly Kensi, Densi's first grandkid...EEEP! Sorry I can't update as much as I used to, but like I said. We all have lives.

* * *

He was pressed against me again.

Except I didn't tense this time. I soaked up his warmth. I became more and more comfortable with our living situation and our cover as the days went on. And we both woke up like this.

"Hey," he whispered warily. "Good morning."

"Good morning," I replied, trying to stifle my smile.

He stretched his arms out. "Sorry," he declared. "I'm a restless sleeper."

"You're just fine," I said.

He rolled out of bed. I got up, grabbed the leashes to take the dogs out. When we came back in, MJ was back in the kitchen, getting breakfast ready. I could get used to that.

I found myself on the couch, combing my fingers through Noel's fur. Jake was barking at MJ in the kitchen, hoping for food. I held Noel closer. This was bliss.

I had learned about Jack when I was 15. It absolutely terrified me. Mom only brought him up because he somehow got involved in a case at NCIS, and she wanted me to understand the emotions around the house. I loved the way Dad held her and the way her few tears would end the moment her head hit that sweet spot in his chest. That place where there are no troubles in the world. I found after that day, I wanted little to do with the boys I'd previously been interested in. Like I wanted to wait… skip over my own personal Jack. Wait for someone like Dad.

I was the same way with MJ when we first met, up until about the day I almost got shot. I'm still on edge around him sometimes, but usually, it's all just fine.

It was the way he had stood behind me in the firing range, when I was still getting used to the kick after pulling the trigger. Even though I've been able to fire since I was 12 (and I had perfect aim with a Nerf gun before that), it was hard for me sometimes. I'm softer than my parents. I was raised better than they were.

It was also the way he consoled me after my first kill. The way his arms encircled me when I was resisting tears. Insisting I was fine, when I was a mess of guilt, not comprehending the good that that terrible action ensured. Not comprehending my partner would have died had I not taken the shot, only focusing on the life lost at my hands.

He became someone I wanted to open up to.

And usually, we're on the same page. I may be softer than my parents, but I am still hard and tough. He is too. When you put those types together, it can be rough. But when I make leaps, he does too. He grins when I accomplish things. He teaches me how to be a better agent. But I don't know where all of this leads us. As friends.. as partners.

I mean, he calls me Dollface.

After breakfast, it felt right. Comfortable, there with my partner.

We had neighbor plans. I had a little sundress to change into. I started to get up and clear my plate off so I could start getting ready. MJ began to tease me about my 'wifely' actions, and I was giggling as I padded across the living room.

Suddenly, MJ's voice got real deep and husky as he teased, "Pull up the fluffy pants, Dollface. I see lacy."

Immediately, I turned and looked down behind me at my ass, and you could in fact see a majority of the lace on the high-waisted blue panties I was wearing.

"Wow, that was real classy."

Readjusting my pajama pants on my hips, I said, "Don't stare at my ass."

"I wasn't staring, I was appreciating..."

"You were appreciating my ass?"

"I was appreciating the lace!" he corrected.

"Yeah, uh huh. Whatever."

"Come on, Dollface, don't get mad at me."

"Don't call me Dollface!" I shouted, almost squealed, up the stairs. I had to know that his nice would wear off as soon as I became comfortable in our cover. The teasing would come back soon, and by the looks of it, it was already beginning.

There's only a few more days of this. I just have to hold on.

My heart was pounding as I pulled myself in to start doing my hair and makeup and getting dressed. The lace incident had me literally burning. How much of that was him being a tease and how much of it was reflecting on the fact that he wanted me to stay at his place? The fact that we can't keep distance from each other in bed?

I kept me make up real light, added a few extra waves into my hair, and began to pull the sundress out. The bra holster was back again, and that pissed me off. Damn, that thing makes me uncomfortable. If MJ is back to picking on me, I bet that'll come up.

The dress in place, I cleaned up the bathroom area and I began to descend down the staircase again. MJ was running surveillance stuff on his laptop. He was wearing khaki shorts and a red polo. He looked up from his laptop. His eyes widened, and he smiled.

"What?"

"You know when you thought I was staring at your ass? This is me staring at you."

Oh jeez. The blush that broke out across my cheeks did not need to happen.

"I've never seen you in a dress before."

"Well, in our job, dresses aren't really the most practical."

"Who cares about practical? Damn. Anyway, 'bout ready to go?"

What the hell did he think he was doing? "Yep, just need shoes."

"Your ankles are sexy just the way they are."

My eyes widened at that one. Um, Mom and Dad alert? Seriously what the hell! I have never told him anything about that!

"What?" he asked. I shook my head. I was immensely frustrated.

"Let's go." He shrugged his shoulders as I slipped my sandal like heels over my ankles.

He laced his fingers though mine as he locked up the house, and we began the decent down the beach, Noel and Jake at our heels.

"Noel! Jake!" A little voice shouted. A girl appeared in front of us, attacking the pups. Noel jumped up and the girl giggled. I smiled and laughed, releasing the dogs off of their leashes.

"Hello!" A voice called from the house. The girl's mother appeared. We waved, and she depended off the back deck. Her name... Fiona. Fiona Parker. Husband: Liam Parker. Got it.

"This is my daughter, Emily. And my son, Liam, where's Cameron?"

"I'm right here!" Cameron said quietly, holding out his ball. "The doggies are here."

MJ's smile was wide. As Jake ran over to little Cameron, he through the ball. Jake chased it and quickly returned.

"We're excited to really get to know you guys. Mr. Conners always says such great things about you, Ethan," Mr. Parker said.

"And your dress is lovely," Mrs. Parker added. I smiled and began to thank her, but I was interrupted.

"I think so, too," MJ added. Amelia kicked Callie out, and my head hit his shoulder as I smiled like a lovesick idiot.

The Parkers laughed, and MJ kept talking. "Call her Mrs. Conners," he whispered. "She still reacts to it, it's still new."

I scowled at him, but it wasn't threatening. Everyone saw through that.

We settled in to the table on the back deck and patio and relaxed. The kids and the dogs running around, a yummy lunch, it was fabulous. Except the case and stuff, yeah. We had work to do.

Emily ran up and curled up next to her mother, and MJ decided this was a good place to start. "Emily, how old are you?"

"I'm 7!" she exclaimed, smiling.

"Are you having a great day?" he asked. She smiled wildly.

"Yes, the dogs are here!" then, she took off running again, catching up to her younger brother.

"Wow, she's a firecracker, you must be exhausted," I said.

"You'll understand when you start having babies. You're exhausted... but it's a perfect kind of exhaustion."

With that, MJ started getting closer to me. I tried not to let my personal reaction be noticeable... Callie isn't here now.

"We're kind of taking it slow." he said.

"Oh, you guys are fine. So early on in your marriage... that's a good thing." Mrs. Parker said.

"My brother, his wife's pregnant. They've been married for so long. I expected it a lot sooner," I said, throwing that out there. That worked for cover, yeah?

"It's not about anyone else's pace. It's about your own. When you guys are ready, that's when it happens."

_It's about your own._

MJ traced a pattern along my arm as she spoke. The words floated through my head.

Was this more than advice about kids?

_Elijah _diverted the conversation to a mysterious white Charger, and the Parkers threw out all of the information they had easily, about how it was scary but they hadn't seen it in a while. They shared about LAPD coming out, all kinds of that fun. Mental note all of that.

We took a walk out to where the kids were playing, and there was a lot of laughter. Suddenly, I felt his hot breath on my neck. "I'm going to kiss you, okay? Don't freak out, I've got you."

My heart began to pound. This shit was about to get real.

I didn't freak out. Not in a panic way. But when he did lean in, placing a sweet kiss to my lips when the Parkers could totally see it, I could respond. I wasn't relaxed, but I could play it cool.

Damn his lips. And the way his hands rested on my hip, the way he traced his fingers across the fabric right above the skin he'd seen covered in lace earlier.

It was in the way his eyes drifted to my lips when breaking eye contact. The way he seemed eager for more, although there wasn't anything else. The way his cheeks grew rosy behind his usually 'I am in control we will be okay' composure. Behind his flawless jaw…

Enough of that. He bent down, grabbed the ball near Jake, tossed it back to little Cameron, and it was just on. And I watched them play in awe, seeing myself and my father… it kind of made my ovaries hurt.

Mom always told me about Dad doing silly things like that. Jumping on the trampoline with a victim's daughter, showing cartoons to a scared little boy…

I was looking for someone like my Dad.

MJ was someone like my dad. This wasn't a cover. This was actually the real thing. This is the man my partner is. This was what I've been looking for. Right in front of me.

And I can't take it anymore.

I've got to talk to Mom. I've got to talk to him. Partners first.

As we said our goodbyes, made our way 'home' to do a quick check in, we got ready to settle into the couch to catch some reruns, I had to say something. Something to get us somewhere. Amelia be damned. Callie had to get some of what she wanted tonight.

He sprawled out on his back, having traded his polo and khaki shorts for a big tee and sweats. I'd retired the fluffy pants for shorts and tight-ish blue tank top.

"That's a familiar look on you," he added. "The shorts are better than the skinny jeans though." Oh, yeah sir. Great time to bring that picture up, that night he called me beautiful, multiple times.

Can he stop doing that? I'm going to become a Callie shaped puddle.

I settled next to him on the empty end of the couch and sighed. "We need to talk."


	11. Ocular Confession

"Sure, Callie Paige. To what do I owe this pleasure?" He muted the TV.

"It's Anne, and stop, you sound like my mother."

He waved a finger at me. "Noted. Sounds better than Paige. What's on your mind, girl?"

"You. Those kids. Why didn't you tell me you were good with kids?"

He threw his head back, laughing. "We've only been partners for a year, I didn't know you wanted kids this quickly."

I punched his arm and pushed my foot agaist him. "Shut up."

"You were the one who wanted to talk!"

"Just answer the question."

He got serious. "I don't know. I like kids. They're innocent, they laugh a lot. I think it's just the way I saw the world as a kid. My parents were good to us, Dad was a goof. I heard nightmares about how Dad and Mr. Dee...your, your Dad, I guess... were raised. It makes sense."

Rage filled in my heart as the memories filled my brain. Yes, if I could fix anything, I'd go back and save my father from his childhood. And maybe Mom from Jack, too. It still makes me upset.

He sensed my tension and took the subject back into his hands. "What about you," he said, poking me. "Where does Callie Anne Deeks see herself in ten years? You wanna get married, settle down with some little tiny you's?"

I shook my head, bowing it in a blush, thinking about "mutant ninja assassins". Actually, I was so far lost, that I began to talk.

"I don't know. I mean, I think I did before the waking up in the morning with the 'I might get shot today' mentality. But now... its different. I don't know if I want to bring kids into this. I...I grew up in that. And its terrifying."

"Obviously it doesn't scare you that much, considering you followed into it yourself."

"I was 17," I waved him off. "I didn't know what I was getting into. I knew it would be hard because I lived with that. But I didn't understand how hard it would be for me when I started to want..."

He filled in my gap. "Something more?"

Exactly. Exactly what I was thinking.

"Callie... it gets better. It's terrifying now, and it always is terrifying. But there's a point, when you meet someone you really care about, that it starts to feel like the risk might be worth it. It starts to get better. I promise."

Quietly, almost in a whisper, I asked, "Are you speaking from experience?"

There was a long pause. He didn't say anything, but stared down at his feet, as he wiggled his toes.

I'd noticed how much harder it was to supress my desires lately... with Max and Sammy's news, with Mom and Dad getting ready to become grandparents. It was an aching in my core, and a punch to the uterus when MJ played with those kids.

It wasn't easier, but he was right about wanting it more.

"You know, like Mrs. Parkers said. Its a process. And it takes a lot of time. You don't have to be ready on a timetable. It's your life, live it at your own pace."

He avoided the question.

"You didn't answer my question."

His eyes were bright and vulnerable as they stared into my soul. "Maybe."

My heart raced and dropped. But I didn't understand what he meant. What that meant.

"What's her name?" I asked softly, hiding all traces of disappointment or jealousy.

"I don't think you want to know."

I squinted. "You can tell me."

He tilted his head. He wasn't going to say anything. I started to get frustrated, but he continued to stare into my eyes. It still didn't register, but in the moment it did, what did he do? Try to change the subject again. As if to say, 'I didn't tell you what you think I told you.'

"But yeah, that's not a big deal. And anyway, we should probably go to bed."

I shook my head. "We should talk more."

"Callie," he warned.

But I wouldn't give up. Not now. This was too important to me to let him push it away. So many nights of beer and his couch. Two all nighters. Countless moments of teasing... compliments. Lead us here.

"Lets not talk about this right now. We can talk about anything else. Just not about this. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry."

"But..."

"No. Stop."

That's where the TV got turned off, and we went to bed.

Because after that, bed seemed like a good idea? Whatever.

But there was no questioning the way his arm draped over my stomach, holding my center with his palm, pulling me in. The way I folded into his chest and fit there, just like how Mom fits into Dad so perfectly.

"In his sleepy, hushed, yet wide awake tone, he asked, "You still want to talk?"

Slowly, I rolled my head back and forth across his chest.

"Not tonight."

It was a little after 2AM when simultaneously, blares of music and alarms disrupted my sleep. Our legs were tangled up together. My bare legs burned, desperate for his skin, which was unfortunately covered by his sweatpants.

Soon, he sat up, gracefully untangling our legs. I realized my phone was buzzing, and his was singing, "You Are My Sunshine."

"Really? You Are My Sunshine? On your cover phone?"

MJ uttered something in his husky, groggy voice. It was inaudible, but we both reached for our blaring devices.

It was Sal, and I'm assuming Kevin called MJ. Our White Charger guys were here.

MJ was in full on Special Agent mode, even in his sleepy state. His gun was at his hip and he was carefully at the door of the guest room prepared to breach. My reflexes were a second slower, but as we moved to the stairwell, guns a blazing, we were once again partners in sync.

Partners in sync is a beautiful thing. It reflects on how well we know one another, how our movements are fluid and exact as the other was expecting. It makes me happy when MJ and I can do this.

We exited the house and boom boom, bang bang, we got it done. Turns out those guys wanted money, because as evidenced by the beautiful beach side property, the Conners have cash.

The take down was fun. The bad guys weren't that hard to fool. Sometimes we get terrorists, and sometimes we get idiots who don't know what they're doing.

Sadly, I didn't have time to put a bra on before this little fiaso, as I'd ditched my sports before bed. Stupid MJ and his ocular confessions. His wandering eyes will end up feeding me a mouthful of teasing later.

Three AM, we were packing ourselves out of the cover house, and heading to the CGIS headquarters for wrap up.

They gave us tomorrow off, considering it was almost five before we actually got ready to go home. I was exhausted and most definitely not handling sexual tension well.

It would have been very easy to crawl in his bed tonight. But thay wasn't okay. We weren't Amelia and Elijah anymore.

Just MJ and Callie.

So where does that leave us?

He teased me as we walked out. "I didn't say I wanted a divorce wifey!"

I rolled my eyes for effect. It felt like his way of asking me to come over. I couldn't though. Not now.

As I settled into my car and turned my phone on, I had three texts. Dad had said, "I love you, baby girl." Sammy had said, "Your brother is worried about you, but I know whatever it is you're up to is going to go well because you can do this." And my friend Lillyanne had asked my why I wasn't home. More like "Where the hell are you?" but it is what it is.

I texted Mom, telling her I was back and that we were safe and sound. I said I was off, and asked if we could do lunch tomorrow.

Also, I texted MJ. "I'm not settling until you explain to me why your cover phone's ringtone is You Are My Sunshine."

He responded quickly. "Thats my personal cell's ringtone too. I'll tell you one day, Dollface."

Falling in love with your partner is hard. Crawling in bed alone was hard.

So, there were several things I needed to do now that I was home. Talk to Mom about my partner, probably meet up with friends, figure my shit out with MJ, check up on Sammy, and ask Max about getting a puppy.

Where is my life going even?


	12. Physical

"So how was undercover?" Mom asked, settling into the chair across from me. She wasted no time in digging into her sandwich. Classic Mom. We'd had to kind of postpone our lunch plans a few hours thanks to an early morning NCIS case, but luckily it was wrapped up quickly. Mom was evidently 'starving'.

"It was, undercover." We were in public, it's not like I could disclose classified information.

"Have you talked to him about things? I heard you told your dad…"

"Yeah. I told Dad."

Mom nudged me gently with her foot. "There are things you aren't telling me."

"There are."

Her eyes shouted for me to spill, and I had to tell her. Because seriously. I have no idea what I'm getting into.

"MJ and I are really close."

"Okay… that's good. It's important that you trust your partner."

I sighed. For being married to her partner, she's not taking the hint well.

"We're close, but more in a… physical sense."

"Physical?"

Well that was the wrong word.

"Not exactly. He um, he kissed me. Undercover."

"Well when you're undercover as a married couple, sometimes that has to happen."

"I liked it, Mom."

She narrowed her eyes at me. "I don't like what you're implying, Callie Anne."

I gulped. Uh oh. Was this really that bad?

"He's sweet to me. He's infuriating, he's obnoxious, but he's sincere and caring and warm and, and perfect."

Mom shook her head. "Are you hearing yourself?"

"You and Dad did it, you aren't one to talk!"

"Callie, this could ruin your career."

She wasn't wrong.

"It is impossibly hard to be in love with your partner. Trusting someone to keep you safe brings you intimately close to them, and I understand that. But you've only been in this job for a year. You're good. And it is so hard to be in love with someone you work with like that. You can't have your judgment clouded. I want you to think about your kiss. How distracted were you?"

Her words made sense, but they certainly weren't what I was hoping to hear. But what kind of dream world do I live in? I came to Mom because she knows what she's talking about. If I'd wanted to hear, "Awe that's cute!" then I'd have gone to Lillyanne.

"I could have done my job had an issue arose."

Mom shook her head. "You have to be able to make split second decisions. You can't afford to be distracted."

"I didn't come to you for a lecture on being a federal agent. I've got it. If there were to be an issue, Leah would have taken away my badge."

Mom smiled. "Okay, Special Agent Deeks will go away. Wow, I just realized there are three Special Agent Deeks. Wow."

I rolled my eyes. "Mom."

"Ray's son? Really? Let me guess, he gives you stupid nicknames and you have beer nights at least once a week."

I smirked, and Mom gave it right back to me.

"He calls me Dollface."

"Oh no, that's worse than Fern."

"I KNOW!" I exclaimed.

Mom quieted. "How does he feel about you?"

"I'm pretty sure the feelings are reciprocated."

"Pretty sure?"

His pleading eyes danced across my mind. His voice told me not to worry, he called me Dollface, he called me beautiful.

"I'm pretty sure."

"Alright. As your mother, I advise you to be careful. He's Ray's son, so I imagine he's not ill intended. Probably smart enough not to screw around with his father's best friend's daughter."

I shook my head. "He's not like that."

Mom continued. "As Special Agent Deeks, I think this is a terrible idea so early on in your career. Trying to figure out this job on your own is hard enough, but when you add a lover into the mix…" She paused, and changed directions. "I won't tell you not to do it. I've said it all along that you're a big girl and you can take care of yourself. We raised you to be like that and I believe in you. I don't want you to lose him because of something I said. If he makes you happy, the way your father makes me happy, I don't want you to miss that. You just have to understand all the risks and ridicule you'll face."

I nodded. I didn't know how to process all she'd said, but it was a start.

"Thank you, Mom."

"You're welcome. Anything else?"

"Yeah, I think I'm going to get a puppy."

She laughed. "I think you're gonna have to ask your father or your brother about that one."

"Oh, I know. Just saying. How are things with Dad?"

"The usual. Kinda pissed at him after this morning."

"What did he do?"

Mom laughed. "Oh no sweetie, you do NOT want to know."

"Is he morning wooding you again?"

"Please, he's been doing that for 30 years."

"And the raccoons mate for life," I added. She gave me the 'I am going to kill you without leaving forensic evidence face' and I decided to lay off.

"Speaking of the other horny raccoon, would you mind maybe not telling him about all of this?"

"Partners don't keep secrets."

"Well, when it comes to this, you're my parents, not partners. He's my dad, and I don't want him to worry. Or kill Ray. Or kill MJ."

She frowned, but reluctantly agreed. "Fine, but I don't like this."

After leaving Mom, I drove around, trying to process what all she'd told me. But it was a lot. And it was terrifying.

I came to the conclusion that I wasn't going to come to a conclusion, so I texted Max.

"Call me when you get the chance. Sammy comes first, as usual. We have lots to discuss."


	13. Cocker Spaniels

At the risk of causing my parents to divorce, I pulled my phone out of my pocket and dialed Dad's number.

It had been all downhill since Max called me back. It was the next afternoon. I'd told him to take his tame and be with Sammy, and that's what he'd done. When I told him about wanting a puppy, he called me down to his office immediately. Max has a heart for strays, and he loves nursing them back to health. He had two in his office that needed homes before they ended up in a shelter.

When I got down there after work, I couldn't choose between the dogs. They were both cocker spaniels, born of the same litter. One was a girl, with big brown eyes and matching hair, and the boy with a golden coat. My heart fluttered and I thought of the sweet dogs I'd loved undercover, and I wanted them both so badly.

However, I was concerned about keeping one animal alive, let alone two. I was not getting two puppies.

But I couldn't pick which one ended up in a shelter.

So I thought, who'd want the other dog? Max can't keep any other animals in the house, he's already got two dogs and Sammy isn't too pleased about that as is. Plus with a baby on the way? No. Lillyanne has cats. I'm not calling any of my team members because I have a soft spot for puppies.

But Dad's been wanting a dog. I just have to hope Mom won't stab him.

Dad said that he liked bigger dogs and that he really, really didn't think it was a good idea, but once I sent him a picture of the pup, he was a lost cause. He picked the girl and I took the boy. I felt much better. Max set me up with the right food and other dog related supplies I needed.

And then all the sudden, I had a dog. A dog without a name, but a dog nonetheless.

And it was nice. He snuggled up next to me real close. It was good. Until Mom texted me, really pissed off that they now had a puppy.

"Are you responsible for this?" the message said, attached to a photo of Dad holding the puppy up to his face, while the dog's tongue stroked up his cheek.

I laughed out loud, snorting so loudly that it scared my pup to the point he jumped off of my lap and cowered behind the couch. I coaxed him out with a peanut butter treat, and began to Google names.

Nothing clicked. I liked a lot of the M names, but he didn't respond to them. I started reading them aloud, and he ignored me, but perked up when I read the name AJ.

"You like that, buddy? Better than Peter or Rosco?" He whimpered and looked away. I guess AJ it was then.

Until a sharp knock at the door disrupted my chat. AJ's ears perked and he looked at me before barking wildly.

I uncrossed my legs and got up to answer the door. Who was on the other side? None other than my annoying, infuriating, yet somehow highly attractive partner.

"Did I hear barking?" he said, pushing his way into my apartment. He had a bag in his hands.

Suddenly, AJ was jumping up on him, trying to get his attention. MJ reached down and picked him up. "Yeah, I got a dog. Why are you here?"

"You got a puppy," he corrected. "And a little dog, really? I never saw you as the little dog type."

"My brother's a vet. He was going to bet sent to a shelter."

"The dog, or your brother?" He earned a punch to the bicep. "I'm kidding!" he declared. "How long have you had him? What's his name?"

"I got him after work. I think his name is AJ."

MJ smiled wildly. "Awe, like MJ? AJ?"

I scowled. "No, see I was thinking about renaming _you_ Asshole. You call me Dollface, so it seems fitting."

"Asshole? So you really did name him after me? Asshole Junior."

Shit, I did not think that one through. I pried my pet out of his arms. He was not going to get attached to MJ. "My dog is NOT an asshole. Why are you here?"

He sighed. "Neither is your partner. We left the cover house quickly; I accidentally grabbed a few of your things. I figured you really didn't want me to return them at work."

I squinted. "What exactly do you have?"

He handed me the bag, and I looked through it. A tight tee shirt, a pair of socks, three hair ties, and my fluffy pajama pants. "I'm kind of surprised you hadn't missed anything yet."

I shrugged. "Haven't done laundry yet. However, I'm pretty sure I'm still missing a bra."

"You are. And I'm missing a pair of sweatpants." He narrowed his eyes at me, stepping closer and placing a hand of my pup's head. "Fair trade?"

I thought about it… that bra was getting a little worn. The underwire would breakthrough and try to stab me in the heart sometime soon anyway.

"Maybe if you buy my lunch tomorrow."

"Oh, deal. Hands down."

"What the hell are you going to do with my bra?"

"What are you going to do with my sweats?"

"I'm going to wear them. I hope that's not what you have planned for my bra."

He smirked. "You have a dirty mind."

I threw it back. "You have no idea."

His eyes traced over me, and I tried so hard to be unaffected. "Stop imagining me wearing that bra."

"But it matches those pretty panties you had on under those fluffy pants... AND I could imagine you not wearing it…"

"Get out of here."

"But I'd rather imagine you in my sweatpants. That's a pretty sight too."

I narrowed my eyes at him. He wasn't playing very nice. I'd rather him tease me with pet names and rubber bands than address the sexual tension in the air.

All of the sudden, I noticed AJ was licking the back of my partner's hand. Crap. My own dog is a traitor.

"I can't believe my dog likes you."

"Stop pretending you don't like me too."

"He licks his butt with that tongue." MJ didn't even flinch.

"He probably kisses your cheek with that tongue too."

I sucked in a deep breath. "Can we not do this right now?"

"We're not doing anything; I don't know what you're talking about…"

"I can't do this right now MJ, okay? I can't have your flirty banter in my head right now because…" I paused, losing my thought as his hand traced up my arm.

"Because why, Callie?"

I still made no noise. I couldn't think.

"Callie?" he asked again. "You can tell me."

"No. I can't." I set AJ down, and he scurried away. That was a mistake, as MJ took the opportunity to grab my shoulders and square me away, locking eyes with him.

I didn't want to have this talk tonight. I wanted to snuggle up to my dog and forget about my partner issues and sleep and just escape from all of this.

"Callie, I…"

"No. Please. Just, please." I pushed his hands off of my shoulders. "I don't want to talk about this right now, okay?"

"We've had a long week. Take care of yourself. Relax," he turned for the door. "Call me if you need anything, or if you just want to talk." He gave me a smile and nodded as he did what I'd asked.

I threw my head against the door. _Damn it girl. You really screwed up that one._

For a moment, I almost opened the door and called him back. It would have been so easy to reach up and kiss him, tell him all my fears, and let him sweet talk me in to something I'd likely regret. But tonight I'd taken a step back.

Wasn't that the opposite of my mother's advice? She said to value my happiness. I felt oh-so-very alive when he teased me. I needed to talk to him, and instead, I'd chickened out.

I'd see him in the morning and I could really apologize then, but I felt something needed settled now. I wasn't mad at him and I didn't want him to get that impression. I took a shower to clear my head and slipped into his sweats. I shot a picture with my phone of AJ sitting on my feet, making the sweats clearly the focal point.

"We like your sweats. We think we overreacted earlier."

He replied almost immediately. "My imaginary dog and I say not to worry about it. We'll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight, MJ."

"Goodnight, Callie."


	14. Stay

a/n: Don't get used to the happiness. Or the update frequency.

* * *

_Glorious fire. _

_His eyes ate me, his breath hot and consuming. I bit his lip and he chuckled, kissing me back harder. His touch was soft, though his hands were calloused from our rough job. He was gentle, the way he ran his thumb over my collarbone._

_I burned and burned as his fingers drifted down my arms, tracing familiar patterns around the muscles that hid under my warm skin. I reached up to grab him, to pull him back closer to me..._

And he was gone. And I was awake.

Ughhhh.

I rolled over and glanced at my alarm clock, which was buzzing angrily. 6:02. Gross.

Grosser? The sandpaper like tongue licking my elbow.

What a great start to this morning.

It was a little over two weeks since we'd been undercover. I'd recently found that Sammy was actually about three months pregnant, and they just didn't want tell anyone for fear of miscarriage or something. Mom and Dad had named their puppy Princess (probably because she wouldn't let him name her Fern), and AJ was totally banned from my furniture thanks to the pillow he destroyed.

"Off the bed!" I demanded, and AJ hopped down and scurried toward the doorframe. I rolled out from under the covers and walked into the bathroom to get ready.

My curling iron sat on the side of the sink, and it took every ounce of self-restraint not to pick it up and get to work. _You curled your hair yesterday, Callie. Don't let him get used to it._

I found out that MJ liked my hair all wavy about a week ago, and it has been downhill since then. It was a Saturday night around 9 when I'd gotten a text that said, "I miss you. Its hard going from seeing you 24/7 to 8 hours a day."

We still hadn't gotten to talking about things, but I'd had a really, really bad day, and I just did not want to be alone. I'd gone out with Lillyanne. I love her, but she's got the worst boyfriend in the history of the planet. I hate him. He's terrible and sexist and I just really know she deserves so much more. I also found out that Dad cracked a rib during a weekend case battle with some terrorist guy from Mongolia. I talked to him on the phone, he was going to be just fine. It just scared me. I said I'd bring over lunch on Sunday, which I did do. But it made for a rough Saturday.

"My dog and I are a package deal. Is your complex puppy friendly?"

Turns out it was, and that's where I ended up. There was beer, and he let me rant about my Dad's ribs and all the other shit. And, his finger twirled through the stray curls falling from my ponytail.

"Why'd you pull it back?"

I had shrugged. He gently said he liked it curly and down.

We popped the top of three more beers and talked until 2 AM about life as Ray Martindale's son. My stress melted away under his warm smiles. He'd asked me to stay, and had I not promised Dad lunch, I probably would have.

We're close to talking. He's not pushing me. But the fact that I just dreamed about us in a very very heated make out session is not going to help anything.

I have to keep in mind what Mom said about my career. This job seriously sucks. It's demanding and dangerous, but I'm good at it. And I'm helping people. But I don't know what makes me happier, the job, or that I see MJ at the job. Probably both.

The day was long and caseless. Ralph and Alex were tasked with some paperwork, but MJ and I were running errands for Leah. For that dangerous job I do, we sure did a lot of domestic things.

We were freed to train in the gym or take some shots in the firing range. I could show off either way. He called me tough and I snickered. Of course I'm tough. He's seen too much of my 'lacy lady side' lately.

I should have been expecting his invitation. His blond hair was falling in his grey eyes and he was in need of a shave. His usually tame scruff was a bit too visible. Almost reminded me of my Dad and that is totally not a turn on. Yet I wondered what it would feel like, brushed against my cheek...

What pushed the situation over the edge was the small plush dog bed resting in his living room floor. AJ snuggled right into it.

My dog has a bed in MJ's apartment.

"We need to talk."

MJ stopped, turning back from his fridge. "This means no beer, doesn't it?"

"No beer."

He walked back over to his couch, tossing me a water bottle and a bag of mini Oreos. "Alright. Let's talk."

I took a deep breath. This conversation had to happen. It did. I couldn't keep putting it off. The Oreos and water bottle were discarded to his coffee table. "What's going on between us?"

"Nothing really, I guess."

"That's not true, unless this is a one sided attraction thing, and in that case, I should probably leave."

His eyes snapped to attention, grasping at mine. "No, that's not... Callie. No."

"Okay. So talk to me about this."

His foot stretched out until it was touching my dark jeans covering my calf. "I thought I could do this, you know? Just have you as my partner, as my friend. Told myself it was just a phase I'd get over. You're badass and you're freaking adorable when you're pissed off at me. You don't get intimidated when someone is pointing a gun in your face and it's terrifying the things you can do with a knife. It's just attractive, okay? I didn't know that your friendship wouldn't be enough for me. I never thought it would be mutual, and I never thought you would end up being Marty Deeks' daughter, and I never thought I would know what it felt like to kiss you or sleep with my arm draped over your stomach. I never thought I'd actually act on my feelings for you."

"You have feelings for me?" It was more tentative than I intended to sound. He gave me the eyes again, but I wanted, I needed words.

"Say it. I need you to say it."

"Yes, Callie. I do."

It was my turn, but like my mother, words don't like to come to me when they need to the most. Sure, I'd heard the 'all in' story thousands of times. It was up to Mom to say what she meant.

"I'm fighting with myself about this. Do you think this is a good idea? Because I'm not going to lose you in the line of duty because you were worried about whether or not I'm okay or something dumb like that. Do you even want us to be all in?" All in? Did I just ask him if he wanted to be all in? Oh, shit. He's not gonna know what that means.

"Do you really think I just want in your pants?"

"Well..."

"Stop it. You're too beautiful for your own good." I gave him a gentle, yet over exaggerated kick to the shin. "I tease, but there's so much more to it than that."

"I'm worried about how it will affect work."

He smiled slyly. "That's a valid point. But you're a damn good partner. I'm not going to let us do anything that jeopardizes your career. I wanna be watching your back for a long time."

"What about Leah? Ralph and Alex? Sal and Kevin?"

"We can take it slow. One day at a time. They don't need to know."

"And it won't change anything?"

"Not around there," he said. "But maybe around here..."

The butterflies in my stomach began to flutter and dance. "But still slowly here, right?"

"Absolutely. No need to rush it."

"So we're doing this?"

"I want to."

"I think I do too."

"Can we move a little bit tonight?" he asked, shifting his weight on the couch.

"What do you have in mind?" _Flutter. Flutter. Flutter._

He grabbed me and pushed me downwards. He slipped behind me and whispered in my ear.

"Stay."

His arms encircled me. He kicked a leg up over me possessively and pulled me up against him. Just like where we'd left off.

"Okay," I sighed, warming under his touch. "I will."


	15. The Mood

"Can you two do me a favor and stop doing this?" I sat in Dad's doctor's office, glaring at my mother. "I mean, I've been a federal agent for over a year now and no one, and by no one I mean NO ONE on my team has gotten hurt as often as you two do."

Mom's wrist was really screwed up. She held an ice pack to it, scowling at me. "Keep talking, kid."

Another well-deserved eye roll was shot in her direction. I had to take off work to drive Dad to his appointment because Mom screwed her wrist up punching bad guys. I'm hoping she's not going to play the stubborn card on me and try to get out of here without getting that swollen mess looked at.

Dad's still having rib issues and the doctors just wanted to make sure there weren't any further issues, so here we were. When I left abruptly, MJ showed his concern. Not in a way our coworkers could detect, but I understood what he meant. A quiet nod of my head was all he needed to know I'd probably be okay.

Speaking of my partner, I'd yet to fill Mom in on the developments.

"So, Mom…" I began.

"Uh oh."

Damn she's so me. Or I'm so… her?

"We're moving slowly."

"Slowly?"

"Yeah. Slowly."

She chuckled. "How long's that going to last?"

I sighed. "He's not like that, Mom."

"But _you're _like that."

"Excuse me?"

Mom adjusted her wrist in her lap. "He'll wait for you. He'll say you'll move slowly. But then, all the sudden, it's going to become too much and once you start sleeping with him, you'll be a lost cause." She paused, then picked right back up. "Unless you're already sleeping with him."

Yay, sex talks with Mom.

"We're not sleeping together."

_"__Yet," _she corrected.

I nudged her shoulder, causing her wrist to shift in her lap and she hissed. "You're mean to your mother," she complained.

"Stop insisting that all I want to do is sleep with him!"

She chuckled again. "Callie, I know that look in your eye. That man's got some spell on you. And for now, whatever you're doing is probably great, but soon it isn't going to be enough to satisfy you. And it's likely not causing issues at work now, but when you start sleeping together, it starts to get harder."

I shook my head. "He cares about my career."

"I don't doubt that. If he knows you at all, he knows that you're always going to want to do something with your life. You're not going to sit around and wait for someone to hand everything down to you."

My momma got skills.

"But he's got desires too. And I'd guess you're at the center of them. Slow will only last so long before one or both of you can't hold it in anymore."

I glared down at my feet. "What happens then?"

She shook her head. "That depends."

I asked a question I quickly found to regret. "What happened with you and Dad?"

She threw her head back against the wall, closing her eyes. "Best night of my life followed by the worst day of my life? That's what happened."

There's a gap in the 'Kensi Blye timeline' from about late 2013 to early 2014 that I haven't quite figured out. Max was born in 2016, I followed in 2020. I know that after they went 'all in' there were bumps, but nothing quite 'worst day of my life' worthy. So I take it there was something bad that went down that I don't want to know about.

"You guys are already ahead of where your father and I were. You guys at least talk about things." She paused. "I think you should talk to your father."

"About my sex life? Or lack of sex life? You have got to be kidding me, Mom. Do you understand that Dad will murder my partner?"

She started to curse, but reigned it in. "Not about the sex thing. This is his best friend's son we're talking about. It's better you tell him now."

Suddenly, I heard Dad's cheerful voice. He walked tenderly through the door announcing that he was in fact fine and going to live, and that they just needed to give him more pain meds.

"Now would be a great time for me to go get my hand looked at," Mom smiled at me, sending very laser like glares at me. She expected by the time she got back, I would have told Dad.

He took a seat next to me. "Sorry we made you take off work."

I shrugged. "Boring day anyway."

"I don't know. If your partner is anything like his father…"

I shut my brain off instantly. No no no no I did not need to have that image in my mind. "Dad, let it go."

He didn't look happy about that. He was cool to change the subject though. Well, kinda. "Mom says you're seeing someone."

"Oh, she does now?"

"Well, she said kinda. It's complicated?" _Yeah, it's going to get complicated here in a minute._

"I get left out of your girly talks," he whined. I frowned.

"It's less complicated than it used to be. Still a little rough, but hey."

"Please. Can't be any more complicated than your mother and I."

"Wanna bet?" Sometimes I just run my mouth and I don't know where to stop.

"Excuse me?" he asked. But the damage was already done. I didn't know how to reply to that at all. So silence?

Dad was not having that. "The only way a relationship could ever be that complicated would be if her were your partner… you're not saying…"

"I'm not saying anything. I plead the fifth. You were a lawyer." I made some really lame hand gesture.

Dad's hands covered his face. He rubbed his eyes wildly, shaking his head. "My daughter is dating Ray's son."

"Technically we haven't gone on any dates. We drink a lot, though."

His hands continued up into his hair. "You two have turned into your Mom and I." His mind seemed very blown.

"So wait a second here, it doesn't bother you that we're partners, this bugs you because he's Ray's son?"

Dad looked so overwhelmed. "Considering I'm married to my partner and you two have been doing well this far, it's less of a concern to me."

I was still lost in his logic. "Hold up, Max MARRIED Eric and Nell's daughter, how does this any different?"

"Because I knew Ray as a teenager!"

Ah, there's my overprotective daddy.

"Dad, MJ isn't a teenager."

"Doesn't make a difference," Dad added, pointing at me with his index finger.

"Calm down," I declared. The waiting room was practically empty, but still no need to make a scene. "Listen, I wasn't lying before. He honors the man he was named after very well. He's a really good guy. You just said we were like you and Mom. He's good for me."

"If he's not, he's dead."

"I can take care of myself."

"I don't care, you're my baby girl first and foremost."

I leaned over and kissed Dad's cheek. "And I appreciate that. But please don't worry about it. Or kill him. And if you want to freak out about how I'm into Ray's son, call Ray. MJ is MJ. I don't want to think of him in terms of how you know his father."

He smirked. "Kinda ruins the mood, huh?"

"Can you and Mom stop thinking about my sex life?"

"Please, you can't stop thinking about your sex life. Or am I sensing lack thereof?"

_My family is SO infuriating._


	16. Tattoo

With every delicate swipe of his finger over hip bone, more and more desire rocked my core. _Get yourself together, Callie. _

"I got to admit, this was a surprise."

Unlike my parents outrageously predicted, we didn't start sleeping together that quickly. Sure, probably quicker than we should have. They weren't wrong about the satisfaction thing.

It was an entire week after the day in the doctor's office that he actually kissed me for the first time. No cover to hide behind, no work in sight. We were walking AJ down by the beach, he'd been surfing. On the way back to the car, his hand slipped to my middle back and he made the move and it was more than perfect.

After that I found excuses to kiss him more and more in the following two weeks. Lazy morning kisses, quick pre-work kisses, passionate and hard kisses, slow and methodic kisses, kisses that traveled down my jaw, kisses down his neck...

This slow transition into a relationship had been going on for a month. I guess sex was the next natural progression. And it's not like either of us didn't want to do it.

Thanks to my mother's warnings, I resisted the first time his kisses trailed lower than my neck. It was a Tuesday and I had this vision of waking up Wednesday morning and there be some disaster at work. I couldn't handle that. I didn't want to have the worst day of my life.

He didn't complain, didn't even seem offended that I'd shrinked away from him. He pressed a sensual and protective kiss to my hairline and directed his eyes back to the TV.

As soon as Friday night hit, I'd over thought it enough. When his lips grazed mine, I took control and we did it. All of it.

But now, it was Saturday morning. The morning after. Last night had been good. Not describable good. He was both sweet and passionate and teasing all at the same time. Now, his fingers traced the curves of my body until resting on my hip. He was drawling the outline of the tattoo that resides there.

"Why does it surprise you that I have a tattoo?"

"It doesn't surprise me that you have a tattoo, but this? This surprises me." he continued to circle around it, pushing my tank top and the waistband of my panties away enough so that he could admire it.

My little tattoo was a heart shaped basketball, orange and outlined in blue. The ball rested above 'State 2034' in the blue ink.

I scrunched my nose up at him. "We won state."

He smirked. "So you decided to get a tattoo."

"Hey! I was in high school. It was a rebellion thing."

"Your parents kill you?" I laughed.

"They still don't know."

"They still don't know?" He sat up, or more like leaned up.

Well, story time.

I explained that I played basketball with my brother's girlfriend in high school. We were really good friends. After we won state, Sammy wanted to get a tattoo, to do something stupid and wild. It was our last game together, and we were really close. We ended up with matching tattoos on our hips, which we totally kept secret from our parents. Problem became that since Sammy was my brother's girlfriend, he found the mark on her hip and that I had a matching one. Being a freshman in college, he understood how stupid what I did was. He was definitely not happy, and he was going to tell Mom, but I reminded him that the only way he would have found said tattoo on Sammy would be if she wasn't wearing clothes. He shut up pretty quickly.

MJ's eyes glistened, grey orbs crystalizing as he laughed through my story. "You have got to be kidding me. Anyway, I kinda like it."

"Nah. Funny thing is, we also took State my senior year. I just never went back and got 38 added to it. Thought I would, but I guess it just doesn't matter as much as it used to."

"Well, you also wouldn't have your brother's girlfriend to go with you."

"She's his wife now, and I'm sure she'd go, but I don't think it's necessary."

"She's pregnant, right?"

"Yep. I guess about four months now."

"So about your family..."

"Yeah?"

He didn't have to ask it. I knew where he was going with it. He wanted to meet them. And all of the sudden, it felt too fast. Did it get this fast after you start sleeping with your partner? Meet the parents, saying the 'l' word? Too fast. Too. Fast.

He sighed, sensing my withdraw. "I'd just like to meet the man I'm named after."

"Well, he happens to be my father," I said. "Don't you think this is a little fast?"

He shook his head. "Not really. I just want to meet your family. If mine weren't in Florida, I'd have drug you home with me countless times already. We'd play cards till dawn, my Dad would tell you stories and you'd laugh, my sisters would tease you. My Mom would love you. "

My heart was racing. Oh yeah. Way too fast.

"Will you just, think about it? You don't even have to introduce me as your boyfriend. I can be your friend or your partner or 'Ray's son'. I don't care."

I reached out and touched his arm. His really toned arm. "They know we're together. I'm not hiding you from them."

"Then why are you so worried about this?"

I threw my head back. "It just feels fast." He'd pushed me today. He doesn't do it much, but he did now. And that was more than I could take. We escaped post coital awkwardness at work, but we didn't have the ideal perfect morning after.

He bent down and kissed my tattoo, before rolling stealthily off of the bed. "I'm going to shower. Care to join?"

Steamy thoughts flashed through my mind. Images from last night plus fantasies I'd ignored. Hell yeah, I wanted to join. Yet again, showering together was definitely too fast.

"Nah, I'll pass."

He frowned from the doorway. "You're not going to be gone when I get done, are you?"

"Please. My dog won't let me." I glanced to the sleeping pup, whose bed got moved into MJ's bedroom.

"I hope you're right," he said, pushing the door to, but not latching it. He was still leaving me with the choice to join him. He'd be disappointed when I didn't follow. Instead, I found my shorts and bra on the floor from the night before, slipped them on, and went into his kitchen to make coffee. Coffee isn't as good as hot and steamy shower sex, but it's the most I can give him this morning.


	17. Bold

"Mom keeps giving me shit about it, Dad is giving me shit about it, MJ is giving me shit about it, and now you're giving my shit about it." I slammed my key down on the table and I unhooked AJ's leash.

"Easy lioness," Max said. "It was just a question."

"Yeah, a question I don't want pushed about."

Everyone wanted to know when I was going to introduce MJ to my parents. I think even Max wanted to meet him.

"He's my sister's boyfriend. Of course I want to meet him."

"I don't share," I hissed.

"You're not making sense Callie. You're obviously crazy about him. He makes you happy, that crazy happy where he also infuriates you but it makes you want him more. At the very least he's your partner. Even Sam would bring Callen over for dinner."

I shivered. "Please never compare us to Sam and Callen ever again."

"But come on, they were so married."

I got back to screaming. "That's the point!"

"Is that why you won't bring him over? You think things are moving too fast?"

My stupid brother.

"Aren't they though?"

"Listen. Stop that. Think about Mom and Dad. What happened before they went all in? What did Mom tell Dad?"

I didn't see where he was going with this. "She said she wanted to be bold with him."

"Exactly. Don't lose someone you care about because you're afraid to be bold."

"What does that even mean?"

"Figure it out, Callie. Advice only goes so far. It's your love story. Write it." He paused. "I'm proud of you, you know that? You took responsibility for your own happiness. You didn't listen to your pride and talked to Mom. You've got this, okay? You do."

"Thanks, Max. You and Sammy still planning on doing dinner for Mom and Dad's anniversary?

"Of course. Wouldn't miss it for the world. Sammy refuses to admit that she's four months pregnant and she wants to cook."

"I'll come help. I may not be able to do anything else, but I can at least hold stuff for her."

We said our goodbyes and I face planted onto the couch. Why was this so hard for me? Why was I so afraid of MJ meeting my family? Why did it feel too quick?

Being at home alone wasn't fun. My dog rejects me when MJ isn't around, and to be honest, I miss him too. But space is important, because space keeps us from moving too fast.

Its no secret that I've backed off since sleeping with him. I've spent the last three nights at home. We had a grotesque case, and it's finally over, but it was absolutely not fun being called in on Sunday. We worked together and as Mom said, it was just a little bit harder. I couldn't make eye contact with him. I kept thinking about the way his eyes sparkled as they danced their way downward, the way they shut tightly when... enough of that. Before I get all tingly again.

I glanced across my empty apartment. Pictures and frames adorned my sad looking place. The moments framed are beautiful and flawless, each with a back story of my life. Everywhere was more lively with someone I love. Max made me feel protected and loved. He's my big brother and I trust him. Mom and Dad can make me laugh- at them and at my own predicaments. And MJ, he makes me feel alive.

He doesn't yet have a picture in my apartment. Not because he doesn't deserve one, but my favorite pictures of him stay on my phone. Stupid shit he sent me from his vacation, and that one damn selfie he took when he hacked my phone in which he looked flawless. Not frame worthy.

While unlocking up my phone to stare at his face, I got a text from him. "Beer and pizza? I can be over in 20. Or we could nap. That's fun too. I miss you."

"You saw me like an hour ago."

"I saw Special Agent Dollface, not sweet Callie Anne."

"Ew. Never call me that ever again. I'm not sweet."

"You taste pretty sweet."

He really, really shouldn't know what I taste like.

"Can I come over? Really. I think we have some issues we need to talk through. Pretending we don't isn't going to fix it."

"You better bring beer," I said. "I'm going to need it. And when this is over, I'm taking you up on that nap."

"Deal, Dollface."

We're usually at his place. He's never actually stepped foot in my bedroom. Though I don't know if they'll be sex or not tonight, and I'm going to go with not, I should probably tidy up a little bit.

In my efforts to tidy things up, I missed him picking my lock. AJ's never going to be a good watch dog. When I found him, he was staring at one of those framed pictures.

"What on earth were you guys doing?"

He was pointing to the picture on the wall next to one from Max's wedding. It was Mom and I. I was maybe six. Mom was covered in Christmas bows and ribbons and I was trying to wrap her in gift paper.

"I couldn't sleep a few days before Christmas, so I got up to go find my parents. I was six, okay?" I leaned against the doorway and he stared at me intently.

"Mom and Dad were getting the tree out for us to decorate the next day. Soft Christmas music was playing around them, and my Dad pulled my Mom into him and whispered "all I want for Christmas is you" and kissed her. So I had this brilliant idea, being 6, that I'd wrap Mom up and give her to Dad. Mom didn't get it but went along with it as I put those stupid ribbons in her hair. Dad thought it was cute. Mom says his heart melted when I explained what I'd been trying to do. Not that I have that much memory of all of this."

MJ chuckled, crossing his arms with a big smile on his face. His eyes never glanced away from mine. "That was cute."

"Stop it."

"Can't." Damn, I was in love with the way that smile lit up his face. Frustrated, I tried to roll my eyes and walk away, but he stopped me. "Why do you pretend you're not adorable?"

"Because I'm NOT adorable," I snared. Man, I was being exceptionally bitchy.

"Please. You have a heart shaped tattoo on your hip, you're addicted to lacy things, you literally smell like sunshine, you tried to wrap your Mom up for your father, you got a puppy..." and he took a few steps around my place before continuing. "You have family pictures everywhere,  
there's two guns and three knifes hidden throughout this place, you have two knifes hidden at my place too, and I know where those are by the way. You have a pink cat pillow on your couch, that's my shirt is on the floor over there, your favorite blanket is fluffier than those pants you like, and I bet if I turn on your TV right now, it'll be on Dance Moms."

Mind blown. "What's your point?"

"You are a sweet, adorable, sexy, and beautiful girl. And you try to act like you aren't. And I can't understand why because you're absolutely perfect." He walked over to a picture of Dad and I playing basketball when I was around 8. "This little girl won't share a big part of her with me and I don't understand why, because I already know that I'm going to love her."

My heart was racing, so I changed the subject. "Why do you think things were weird during our case?"

"I have theories, but they'd probably piss you off. Maybe you  
could just tell me."

"But I don't know why."

"Am I pressuring you into this, Callie?"

"No, no." I tried to correct him.

"I'm pretty selfish. If I'm taking more of you that you're ready to give me, I need you to tell me that."

And there it was. That deep, insecure part of my partner who  
doesn't come out often, but truly exists. We've all got demons and he's no exception.

I sighed. "I think things are a little fast. But that doesn't explain the awkwardness."

"Do you think it might have to do with self-preservation?"

I squinted at him. "What?"

"You're a badass federal agent, Dollface. And that's how I see and have always seen you. But  
now, I get to see the woman in you."

I got it. And it was definitely what I was feeling. "And I don't want you to think any less of me."

"Which I don't. I don't care how adorable and ladylike you are, you're still badass. I don't think any less of you for that. I think it's amazing that you can balance that line between ninja and feminine. I'm so happy you let me into that side of you."

My mother is a woman. She has her moments in the sunshine when she chooses to succumb to her softer womanly side. And she is by no means unemotional. But I get my emotional center from my father. He's the reason I'm a stupid romantic geek that I try to suppress. Like my mother, I don't ever want to find myself seen less because of my gender. I can make the biggest man tremble in fear because I truly am a badass. But I am a lacy lady and there's just no way I can hide that from MJ in this type of relationship. Partnership? Sure. Relationship, obviously not.

Anxiety floated away, and I knew then what I had to say. I closed the distance between us, wrapping my arms around his neck. "You're not taking anything from me that I haven't been willing to give you. I'm worried that we're being fast. I'm worried about how close we're getting. But that's part of the deal."

"So you're... okay with this?"

"No way in hell. But I'll get over it. I think you're worth facing that anxiety."

He pressed his lips slowly up against mine. "I'd say I love you, but we literally just talked about being too fast."

I shrugged. "You've almost said it like three times during this conversation. Now, give me beer."

He scrunched up his nose and we gravitated toward the couch where of course, we drank. I needed one beer to get out the proposition I had in mind.  
"Still wanna meet my family?"

His head jerked away from the TV. "Really?" I nodded slowly. "Are you being serious right now?" he asked.

"Yeah. Saturday night. We're having dinner for my parents' for their anniversary. Dress nice and be on your best behavior."

"Absolutely. Anything." His excitement was not containable. He didn't try to stop himself from  
kissing me senseless and wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me deeply into the depths of his chest.

I did make him promise we'd nap. He falls asleep much easier when he's happy.


	18. Meeting (Part 1)

a/n: First off, happy Easter! I hope you all had a blessed time today. I wanted to stop in and say a few things here about where this is headed. When this story started, a long Callie/Ray's son thing was not the intent. If you recall, the first chapter was in a completely different POV. Now that I know where I want to finish this, I'll need to go back and kind of rework that first chapter. I have no idea when THAT will get done. The changes really won't be major, plot wise it won't be at all, but it will be in Callie's POV among a few other little things. I got sick last week, which is why this took as long as it did too. And I also didn't intend to split this in half, but I'm still a little puny, and I didn't want this to just sit around. It was already half written as it was. So there will be more to this part, I promise. The better part is to come, in my opinion. April and May are my busiest months, so try to stick with me! I'll do my best, but unfortunately being a good student kinda kicks me in the butt sometimes.

Thanks for all of your support, guys (and gals to!) : )

* * *

I should have known he'd fit in here perfectly. I just should have.

I should have come to this conclusion when I overheard his quiet conversation with my brother, but it didn't hit me until I heard the mix of my father's quirky and deep laugh with MJ's husky chuckles. Like, how perfect was that?

I'd been very specific in my rules for this meeting. I had put the poor guy through hell over this. But it's my family here, and I needed it to go perfect for my own sanity. I made him rehearse the three rules over and over on the drive.

"Don't ask your father to tell stories, don't flirt with your mother or your brother's wife, and don't call you Dollface. Callie, relax."

As I had parked my car on the side of the driveway, he pulled me into him and kissed me. It was a slow and methodic kiss, every little movement thought out, placed to get the reaction he wanted. He reassured me that things would in fact be fine, despite my anxieties.

I'd come over to help Sammy with dinner and then gone back to get MJ and my pup. I didn't want to bring him any earlier than I had to.

Mom and Dad had already returned home. Our plan was initially to surprise them, but that didn't necessarily work out. Every year on their anniversary, they add a plant to their garden. They currently have nice assortment of potted cacti and ferns. Mom can't seem to keep any other plants alive. They were headed out to get their plant, but there was no way we could have made dinner by the time they got back. We accepted that fact, and when they got home they were still plenty surprised. I left as Mom insisted she help Sammy and I, even though we told her this was for her and Dad and she could relax. She ignored us, and although she really wasn't helping, Sammy gave me a wink to let me know it was okay to slip out.

When I returned with my partner/boyfriend, Mom and Dad had since figured out what I was doing. Whether it was Sammy's doing or just common sense I'll never know. Luckily, my parents weren't waiting at the door for my return. I was glad they weren't trying to scare him off.

Mom grabbed at me and hugged me, but squeezed bitterly at my arm before whispering, "You should have told me," into my ear before letting me loose. Her smile told me however that she was not angry at all.

I swallowed my pride and opened my mouth. I felt like I was a teenager again, and there was some sorry excuse of a man at the front door ready to take me out on a date. However, it was MJ here, and so of course, he made it okay just by being himself.

Introducing him formally seemed kind of weird, but I knew how much meeting my father meant to him. Not sure if it was because he was my father or if it was because he was his namesake, but whatever the reason, it was important to him. I wanted to give him this. He's good to me in so many ways and I don't always give him enough. But he deserved this.

"MJ, this is my Mom Kensi, my Dad Martin, my brother Maxwell, and my sister-in-law Samantha. Guys, this is my partner, and more importantly, my boyfriend."

It was almost shy of me, but important. He shook my mother's hand and told her how lovely she looked and shook my brother and Sammy's hand and said it was nice to meet them. He shook my father's hand with a big smile and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir."

I watched my father's eyes dance over my partner, of course, being the overprotective father he's always been. My mom bumped arms with Sammy and they were both giggling.

"It's nice to meet you too," Dad said. "My daughter speaks very highly of you."

MJ turned his head away from my Dad to make eye contact with me. "Are you gonna kick me if I tell him that I think you're an amazing woman?"

My eyes widened, but my mother laughed. She laughed so hard, she threw herself onto my shoulder. She couldn't breathe. I cracked a smile as I tried to console my crazy mother, while MJ took this as an opportunity to say what he wanted to say.

"She doesn't seem angry, so I'll say it. I think you're daughter is an amazing woman, and a great agent."

It was my dad's turn to laugh. "You can cut the formality, kid. You're Ray's kid up and down. Call me Deeks, Marty, whatever."

"And you can call me Kensi," Mom interrupted, standing up from her laughing fit. "Or Deeks too, or Mom, or whatever."

"He's just Max," Sammy added.

"And she's just Sammy," he said.

MJ smiled. "Works for me."

He of course, was a complete gentleman. He wished my parents a happy anniversary and complimented Sammy on her choice of wine (I only felt a little bad drinking it, knowing she could only have water). He answered questions like he had rehearsed every single word. He was like an A+ student, and every time he glanced over at me, it was like he was getting a gold sticker his report card.

After dinner there were plenty of stories told. Unfortunately, MJ didn't even have to ask for them. I should have 'layed down the law' on my father instead of my partner. Although he probably would have made some smart ass comment about being a lawyer once.

Dad had tucked Mom into his side on the couch next to Sammy and Max, while MJ and I were on the couch adjacent to them. His hand rested carefully on my knee, doing nothing but tracing dainty patterns along the bone. Mom's eyes laughed along to the stories, but I could tell the wine had made her sleepy.

"I'm going to go get to work on those dishes," Sammy said, pushing herself up. She was pretty big for 4 and a half months pregnant, but that might have something to do with how tiny she was to start with.

I untangled my hand from MJ's. "Excuse me mam, you're not doing that by yourself." I got up to join her. Mom popped up, adding that she wanted to come. AJ and Princess filled our spots, and if my Mom had been more awake, I'm sure she would have scolded those pups for getting on her furniture.

We were hands deep in soapy water when Dad came in behind us asking if there happened to be any apple pie left. I pulled out of the water and dried my hands off, laughing. Mom had woken up immensely, and she was making fun of Dad. After retrieving the pie, I reached to check my phone before realizing I'd left it in the living room. I took a few steps through the kitchen to go get it.

Before I stepped into the line of sight of the boys, I paused to hear their quiet conversation.

"So, you and my sister, huh?"

_Oh, damn you Max,_ I thought. But, my _boyfriend_ played it cool.

MJ shrugged. "Yep. And I wouldn't have it any other way."

"She's a little tough, a little stubborn. But you mean a lot to her, even if she won't tell you that."

I wanted to look at MJ's face, I wanted to see his reaction, but hearing it in his voice was plenty enough.

"When she's ready to tell me, she'll tell me. I think the fact that she let me come here tonight is a message in and of itself."

"Well, I'm not here to play overprotective big brother, but if it helps at all, I think you're good for her."

I decided I had had enough of this conversation, so I ran in to get my phone. We were basically done with dishes and all, so I decided to plop down next to MJ.

I smiled, trying to relax and be flirty. I didn't flinch when he placed a quick kiss to my cheek.

"So Max, how's the flea situation going at the office?"

My brother glared. "We don't have a flea situation. It was one stray cat."

It was enough to get him ranting, enough that MJ could sneak a few more delicate circles of his thumb across my knee.

And I realized how right everything was. Dad came back with pie and we more of that sweet laughter ensued. It was sweet and perfect. And I had had no business trying to restrict it, trying to make things go my own way. It was right just the way it was. And all of the sudden, I needed to apologize to MJ.


	19. Meeting (Part 2)

And I realized how right everything was. Dad came back with pie and we more of that sweet laughter ensued. It was sweet and perfect. And I had had no business trying to restrict it, trying to make things go my own way. It was right just the way it was. And all of the sudden, I needed to apologize to MJ.

* * *

His fingers still grazed across my skin again. I reached out and slowly locked my fingers around his and he smiled.

He smiled a big, big smile.

He was happy. Happy that he was here.

Sammy and Max left next, waving goodbye. My brother's eyes glanced down to our hands, but quickly rose to my eyes. For once, it seemed like he thought I was doing something right with my life.

Of course, I know that wasn't Max's intent. But that's what I'm used to.

When it was just the four of us, Mom decided to move their new little potted cacti to the garden. It was getting dark, and so we stepped out onto the back porch. MJ followed, complimenting the little garden. He didn't even sound like he was kidding.

Apology.

Dad suggested I show him around the upstairs area, and I took this opportunity to do what I needed to do. I showed him up the stairs, but once we got to the top, I pushed him into my room and shut the door quickly but quietly.

"What are you..." he began. I pressed my finger to his lips.

"I'm sorry."

He pushed my finger away from his face and he wrapped his long fingers around my wrist. "What do you mean you're sorry?"

"I'm sorry I tried to control you. I tried to tell you what you could and couldn't do when you met my family."

"Callie, I..."

"No. I was wrong," I said. "You're fine here. You are. You're perfect. I'm sorry."

He flashed a sad grin. "You know what else is perfect?"

I squinted. "What?"

"The fact that you introduced me as your boyfriend."

I smiled, knowing what he was doing. "Well, that's what you are, right?"

He stepped forward, placing her hands on my waist. "Of course, but I also know how hard it was for you to say."

"It's just my pride, I'll get over it," I said, placing my hands atop his.

His eyes burned into mine. "What I'm saying, Callie, is that you have nothing to be sorry for. You let me in, you let me meet your family. You let me be your boyfriend. And that's enough."

I pulled a hand up to his jaw and pressed my lips to his. I could feel his lips curl up underneath mine. What I couldn't say, I could show him.

"Speaking of letting me in..." he said, pulling his lips off of mine. I frowned, but he continued. "Was this your room?"

I laughed. "Yeah, this was my room."

He looked like a kid in a candy store, walking around, looking at everything yet at the same time looking at nothing. His eyes asked permission to touch things, a jewelry box, a bottle of perfume, my AP Chem binder, a photo album.

"Can we look at these?"

"Let's take them downstairs."

And that's exactly what it did. Mom gushed over baby pictures and dad loved all of my elementary school basketball pictures. Dad told stories, and I knew MJ was smirking and thinking about my tattoo.

I shot him a "don't you dare give me away" glare and I'm pretty sure my mother noticed, but she didn't say anything. She did grin, as if she knew it was a partner thing and she understood how it felt.

It was the last page of the album, and it was filled with pictures from Hetty's 85th birthday. I was around 10 or 11, but Max was 14. I had a blue dress on and Mom was looking snazzy too. We all dressed up pretty nice.

But that's when the very last photo shocked us all. Like the photo MJ had seen of me, I also had a photo of him. And it resided in the back of the photo album.

MJ squinted. I think we were all in shock of what we were looking at.

His older sister was beautiful. She looked years older than he did. MJ had a boyish look in his eye, but he was still tan and it was still obvious that it was him.

Definitely someone a 12 year old Callie would've easily fallen for.

12 year old Callie never wore shoes and should be forgotten about.

My dad decided to open up his mouth. "I regretted not trying harder to meet up with Ray after we had you and Max. But I guess it didn't matter."

I thought about how messed up this was. About what twisted fate I must be wrapped up in. In a world where two sets of partners, my parents and Nell and Eric, could fall in love and have kids that also fell in love. In a world where I would become partners with my dad's best friend's son. In a world where my dad's best friend's son would become someone I cared about more than anyone else.

Someone I loved.

In a world where we get shot at and we toy with death, we found love right next to us the whole time.

How could I live in such a world?

Mom noticed my shift in demeanor. She offered a nod in my direction, and we took just a moment. The boys were deep in conversation and it wasn't like they were going to really notice.

On the back deck, with the darkness around us, only surrounded by the warm air and light of the moon, I hugged my Mom and I cried.

I cried.

I felt over hormonal. What was this? No, not pregnant, not PMS-ing. Nothing. But I was crying.

"You realized how easy it would be to lose him. And what your life would be like without him," Mom said.

How did she know that?

"Mom, I..."

She shushed me. "You don't have to justify it, Callie. Just take that feeling and make him understand it. Show him. Don't let go. Cry it out, wipe your pretty little eyes, fix your make up, and go home."

I did that. I kissed Mom's cheek after I wiped my eyes. "Happy anniversary, Mom."

"Thank you baby girl. Thank you for bringing him. He's all I ever wanted for you."

"Mom..."

"I know. But you're my daughter. You're happy, and that's more important to me than anything else."

We hugged it out. Being a woman felt good sometimes.

After putting my eyeliner back in place, Mom helped me get the boys apart. They were in a deep talk about the Clippers and it could have been hours before they were done. But a few of Mom's expertly placed kisses to his ear were enough to distract him.

Dad gave he a hug and shook hands with MJ one more time, and we were out of there. My dog was tuckered out from his long day of playing and being petted, and he crashed in the backseat.

I was quiet on the way home. I didn't even as MJ if he wanted to stay over. He was staying over.

We were only in the door long enough for him to place AJ in his bed before my lips were latched to his. As my hands wandered underneath the hem of his shirt, my intent became clear.

Slow be damned. I didn't care about if we were being to fast. In the passionate embrace, all the fuzzy fears became clear, and then fuzzy again. I needed more. He needed more. He needed to know how I felt about him. I needed to show him. That became clear, but my common sense was clouded.

And show him I did. I showed no mercy, no sign of slowing down. I was wild and reckless and he liked it.

In the morning, there was no awkwardness. There wasn't even a question about whether or not I wanted to share a shower.

Because as long as MJ Martindale was mine, I wanted all of him. And I was ready to give him what he wanted. At least for the time being.


	20. Key

a/n: Hey! This one is sort of a filler, but whatever. I had fun with it. I've been trying to update on weekends, but no promises next week. Welcome to spring: the most stressful time of my life. Fics might be a little scarce for a few weeks.

But in the words of Deeks, "Don't worry Fern, I'll be back."

See you at the bottom!

* * *

You know what's awesome? Being loved.

Our next month was filled with challenges, but those were expected. We balanced the struggles of our job while advancing our relationship. We had what I would consider our first true fight, which ended in the most domestically adorable way possible. For the first time in my life, 25 years young, I learned what it meant to fall in love. To have someone fall in love with you.

His arms wrapped around my waist became my favorite feeling in the whole entire world. His teeth grazing across my bottom lip in a kiss became normal. Fast and slow weren't concepts in our relationship. It was whatever the hell we wanted it to be. It wasn't on a time table.

This was what my parents have had for practically 30 years.

And work was steady. There weren't a lot of cases. A rescue mission we assisted on, one dead guy, lots of paperwork.

It was the night after the rescue mission that I found a blue key in my pocket.

I knew he'd slipped my ID into my pocket while we were working. I had my hands full, and we had to be identified at the site if the mission. He pulled my badge and such out of my pocket and waved it around before sticking it back. His hands hadn't even wandered, but that didn't mean I wasn't just a tiny bit excited.

But he'd added the key. The little blue key had a fancy little C on the front in purplish pink paint. It was a little... cute? Girly? But I kinda loved it anyway?

Of course it was a key to his place.

Truth was, I'd had a key to give him too, but I still hadn't actually given it to him. It wasn't painted like a teenage girl's key, but I'd still had it made.

I left it suspiciously lying on his bathroom counter three days later. I'd gotten out of the shower, curled my hair, got dressed, dropped the key and started a pot of coffee. It was totally normal that I had a curling iron at his place.

He woke up late and in his panic to get ready, he failed to notice the key, and off to work we went.

And that was one hell of a day at CGIS.

When Leah called me in to her office that morning, I wasn't expecting her to bring up my relationship with MJ. If that were her goal, I would have expected him to be joining me in the principal's office.

Interagency gossip came first, I was asked about Sam Hannah and Henrietta Lange. Being the only other woman on my team, it wasn't weird for her to check up on me. Sure MJ, Sal, Kevin, Alex and Ralph were probably some of the best men on the face of the earth. I trust every single one of them. But Leah's logic does make sense to me.

It was maybe 10 minutes into our conversation when Leah made her point.

"So tell me about your partner."

"MJ? Yeah. He's fine. Why?"

"Cut the act, Miss Deeks. I'm very aware of your relationship status. I need you to be honest with me about a few things."

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

A firm knock on the door frame interrupted our conversation. "Um, hi, um, we need Callie for a..." Sal said.

"Yes Sal. Callie, we're not finished here."

"Yes mam."

The thing about Sal is he's very easily intimidated. Leah makes him weak in his knees. As we walked toward the operations center, he told me, "I don't know how you can do that."

Sal and I have a special friendship. While the others teased me constantly, he was always kind. From day one he did everything he could to help me feel at ease, and even now, he's still the one I can confide in. He's the only one in the office I told about what happened between MJ and I. He, and Kevin of course, are also the ones back at home base keeping us from getting our asses killed. They're the brains behind this whole thing.

"She's about to fire me," I whispered. "Once again, you saved my ass."

"She's not going to fire you," he said, pushing up his thick black glasses.

"Don't count on that," I said, as we stepped into the room. I took my spot next to MJ.

Throughout that entire case, I had a lot of emotions. I held them tightly and I know MJ noticed, but he didn't say anything.

I found out at the end of that day that Leah had known about MJ and I the entire time, and not only that, but MJ had told her himself. He told her the night I stayed.

Obviously I was pissed. I thought we were supposed to be in this together? We were adults and we knew how to keep it away from work? We were completely different people off of the job? If he sincerely thought that we could make the best decisions for both of our careers, why did he go behind my back and involve our boss?

That argument lasted for all of ten minutes. AJ was petrified by the yelling and took shelter under the table. I questioned my ability to trust him and he dared to suggest I didn't think he had my best interest in mind.

Yet it all ended when when he stepped into the bathroom to splash some water on his face, and his palm pressed against the key on the sink.

Because he did what he did so that Leah wouldn't be irate when she found out on her own. It had nothing to do with my trust, and everything to do with protecting my career. Yes, he should have told me so that I wouldn't have been thrown under the bus. We should have told her together. But none of that mattered. Because when I gave him that key, I was letting him in all of the way. He'd met my family, he'd pretty much stolen my dog, but now, he could come and go at my place even when I wasn't even there. And there was no way I could have had that key made between the time he slipped the little blue key in my pocket and the time I placed it on his bathroom counter.

What were we even arguing over anyway? His lips were all over me and I couldn't even think straight.

Just when it couldn't have gotten any more like a Nicholas Sparks novel, he was on pressing me down on his bed. Before he could slip my shirt over my head, my stupid dog hopped up right in the middle of it all.

He laughed like he was drunk, slowly pushing AJ out of the way. The pup whimpered and MJ laughed again, to the point where I too started to think it was funny. That is, until his lips softly landed against mine again. Hours later, he traced lazy patters along my back and hipbone. He traced the tattoo and drew other hearts and even wrote MINE across my skin. I was too relaxed to sleep. I've never known that to be anyone's problem. That night I realized that he loved me.

I think I knew it before then. I think I knew it before he met my family. But I finally admitted that I knew it. And the next morning, as I handed him his coffee, I said it first.

I said it first. I. Love. You.

And he said it back with a caffeinated kiss to my cheek.

MJ Martindale loved me. And it was awesome.

* * *

So I also wanted to call out a recent guest reviewer who apparently lives in my brain. Next chapter, it begins, my friend! It was always in the plan! And its going down, it is going down. Lots of Kensi and DEEKS *hint hint* drama awaits! Thanks all : )


	21. Test

"What the hell is going on with you, Martindale?" Alex proclaimed.

We strolled into work. It was true that we'd had a semi-rushed morning. Nothing heated, or well, not too heated anyway. MJ's dark green V-neck was halfway tucked in and halfway sticking out. His hair was a little unruly, but nothing compared to mine. My ponytail was full of stray strands and lumps and bumps. I definitely needed to redo it.

"Well you know, I love a lazy morning." His smirk was totally directed at me.

At this point, I would have blushed, but MJ had been right. It was simply just a lazy morning. No heat, just a slow, "I don't want to leave this bed with you" morning. A morning of one too many peaceful sloppy kisses and a couple extra minutes of savoring the mixed heat of his body and mine beneath my sheets.

We assumed that everyone knew about us. Leah did, I knew Sal and Kevin did. It was kind of a given.

Wrong.

"Lazy morning my ass," Ralph said with a laugh. "I'm thinking based on that smile, you had a girl over."

Alex gave Ralph a "Dude, wtf?" look, but Ralph obviously didn't get the message. He continued to push until Alex said, "You're an idiot, Ralph."

"What?" he exclaimed. "It's obvious."

Alex looked at MJ, but MJ threw it over to me. At least our team leader wasn't an idiot.

"Ralph," I said, "he did have a girl over." He began to claim victory, but I stopped him. "And it was me."

That hit him pretty hard.

"You, you're?" he paused. "What?"

MJ stepped closer to me, dropping his stuff off at his desk. I knew what was coming, and I braced for it. Ralph watched as MJ pressed his hands into my hips and landed his lips on mine. I didn't flinch. I didn't even blush. I was not at all embarrassed.

"What the hell?" Ralph proclaimed.

"How did you not know about this man?" MJ declared, his hands still firmly placed against my hips. It was niiiice.

"I'm ashamed to call you my partner," Alex scoffed.

"How did you know about this?" Ralph asked Alex.

"How did you _not_ know about this?" I asked.

About that time, Sal walked up and Ralph began to interrogate him. "Sal, did you know these two were sleeping together?"

Sal looked absolutely disgusted. "They're not sleeping together. They've never been just sleeping together. They're dating. Those are two completely different things." He allowed Ralph to get over his immature panic attack before continuing. "Anyway, case on deck."

Leah was waiting on us. Once again, that was alarming. It's still not her job. I guess MJ could sense my hesitation because he leaned up against the table and hooked me by the belt loop so that I was leaning against him too.

"Meet Naval Officer Jessica Daniel." Kevin began his usual introduction sequence. But one word caught my attention. _Naval._ We're CGIS. A naval officer?

Lost in my thoughts, I tuned out. Until Leah said, "We'll be cooperating with 2 members of NCIS's Office of Special Projects."

_Gulp._

I bowed my head toward MJ. "Problem."

Subtly, he hummed and leaned his head into me.

"My parents. They are the Office of Special Projects."

His eyes got big. He shrugged. There was nothing he could do about it, but he tried to reason with me. "There are like 4 other members of OSP. Why would they pair us up with your parents. But, they did.

Turns out, Officer Daniel was murdered. The big catch, she was a raped by a Coast Guard Petty Officer, Tanner Bryan. He was jailed and he's doing time for what he did to her, but there's evidence to believe that some of his friends could have hurt Daniel to avenge the damage to his career. A brave girl refused to let her abuser walk free, and she was dead for it.

Its times like these where I get really proud to do my job. I hate cases like this but at the same time; it's about justice for this girl. And I need to be a part of that.

Apparently we were hosting my parents in house, which was not cool. Leah got to boss us around. Callen is no Hetty, but I'd love to work under him, even if just for one case.

It was all cool until they introduced themselves and there were three 'Agent Deeks'. Because that's totally normal.

The part that pissed me off was when Leah decided to take the lead. This was a case we could handle without her hand in the middle of it.

I'm not sure what her goal was, but she decided to be an asshole. I love my boss, I really do. But that morning, I hated her.

"Hamilton, Donaldson, take the crime scene. MJ and Callie, change of plans. Callie, I want to put you with Marty. Here's a list of Bryan's friends whom he served alongside of. Give them a visit. MJ, you and Kensi will work with the forensics teams and follow up on anything that looks suspicious. Are we all clear?" She shot a dirty glare right at me.

MJ and I work great together. We're partners. Also, why'd she decide to split us up the moment my parents show up? Yes, just show my parent I can't be trusted to be in a working relationship with my boyfriend. Just great.

If I'd wanted to work with my parents, I would have applied at NCIS.

I climbed in the car with Dad. Dad and daughter: crime fighters. I immediately felt a sense of needing to explain myself.

"I have no idea why she split us up," I said. "MJ and I are doing fine. I promise Dad, I.."

He laughed.

"Do you think this is funny? It's not what you…"

"Hush, Callie. She's just testing you. Calm down," Dad interjected.

"Testing me?"

"She's trying to figure out your limits, push you farther than you're willing to go. What better way than take your partner away, and give you me instead? Callen tried to get her to let him take the lead, but she wouldn't budge. She's testing you."

Testing me. Damn it, Leah.

And test me she did do. We knocked on doors and we got ignored. With no warrants, we were left to sitting it out in the car.

Dad popped his feet up on the steering wheel. "So kiddo, tell me how you're doing."

"I'm doing okay," I said. I was more pissed at Leah and less at my Dad, which was good.

"You ever give MJ that key?"

I laughed. "Kinda."

"You left it in some random obvious place and waited until he found it, didn't you?"

I smirked and Dad laughed. "You are so your mother."

"Speaking of my mother, what do think she and MJ are talking about?"

"I dunno," he said. "She's probably telling him all about your barefoot phase."

I stuck my finger in his ear and he wigged out, spasming wildly. I considered it payback enough and changed the subject. "You ready to be a grandpa, old man?"

"I still got a few months!" he claimed defensively. He smiled though, and I knew how excited he really was. "I bet it's a girl."

"Yeah?"

"She'll look just like Nell."

"I hope she kicks ass."

"Hey, don't talk about my granddaughter like that!"

I sighed. "Dad, she's going to be a little fighter. Genetics."

"Baby girls aren't meant for that."

I sat up. "Excuse me? Wasn't I a baby girl once?"

"No. You were _my _baby girl."

I smiled a little at his protectiveness in that moment, but I stopped. "No difference, Dad. Your wife is a trained agent and sniper, yourr daughter is a federal agent. Nell's an agent now too."

"You make her sound all grown up Cal. Let her be a baby."

I was getting kinda pissed off again. "Dad, we don't even know if the baby is a girl yet."

He shrugged.

Something deep inside me clicked. As if everything suddenly became clearer.

"Can I ask you something?" Dad nodded. "Did you really support my decision to join CGIS? I know you _said_ you did, but is that how you actually felt?"

In the moment, thoughts rushed back to me. All the times I felt like the disappointment, the kid who made the wrong choices. I wasn't my brother. I didn't play instruments and run and work hard in all of my classes. I played basketball and got secret tattoos and stayed up too late. I didn't do something fancy with my life. I walked right into the world my parents fought to protect me from. Mom may have always supported me, but in the moment, I realized my father didn't.

He said nothing. He looked away from me, staring at the house in front of us.

"Dad, you didn't want me to become a fed. You didn't believe I could do it."

"I never said I didn't believe in you," he snapped. "But I didn't want to have to worry about you."

"So I can't take care of myself?"

"Quit putting words in my mouth. I never said that." He was mad, but he wouldn't yell. That's not his style.

"Then say it," I demanded.

"I wanted what was best for you. When you said this was what you wanted to do with your life, it scared me. It scared me because I've almost lost the woman I love to this job so many times, and I don't want to lose my daughter to it too."

His tone was strict. I almost felt bad, but at the same time, I couldn't. I couldn't live my life just to make his easier.

Suddenly, I saw movement in the house in front of us, and the man dashed. "We got a runner."

Dad hopped up, running ahead. I tried to keep up with him, but it was clear he wasn't giving me a chance to work with him.

So much for having a partner.


	22. Trust

The boatshed at NCIS is so much cozier than our boathouse. Weird, considering we're coast guard. Well, they're navy after all. I don't know.

The partner switch up didn't necessarily go as Leah had planned. So much for following orders. Luckily, it wasn't I who refused to follow orders. My father's the one who took to interrogating with Mom.

The interrogation was playing out on the screen in front of us, and MJ was watching intently. Or so I thought. I watched my mother hound the guy; she seemed as pissed off about the 'murder the girl your friend raped' case as I was. Dad ripped into the guy too, but I think he was still pissed off at me.

MJ didn't take his eyes off of the screen. "You look like hell."

_Gee. Thanks, boyfriend of the year._

"Yeah, thanks for that partner."

"You're welcome," he said calmly. "So what happened?"

"My dad," I paused, running my hand over my face, "he just.."

"He's terrified that you're going to get hurt out there," MJ said, still not looking at me. "I know. Because I am too."

"But you believe in me."

"He does too, Callie. But you're his daughter."

"I think he wishes I was Max. I'm not Max, MJ. I'm not," I growled.

Finally, his eyes tear away from the screen in front of us. "No. You're not your brother. You are 100% your own person. You got a secret tattoo, you love drinking beer, you love sleeping in my clothes, you kick bad guys in the balls without thinking twice about it, and you're terrifying with a gun. But you know what else? You have a puppy. You love so recklessly and passionately that is terrifies you. And this case? You feel like you owe something to that girl. You stand up and do this hard job every day, basically casting out your own safety for other people, for me. Your dad knows that. And he loves you even more for it. But it's still hard for him to think about the girl he used to watch play basketball in a crowded high school gymnasium getting killed."

His words bounced around in my head as he pulled my chin toward him and he kissed my forehead. "So many people love you, and you just don't understand how to be loved."

Dad's protectiveness should have made me feel safe and protected. Instead, it made me upset.

Everything MJ did for me in the beginning felt quick, smothering. It should have made me happy. He was right. 100% right.

I still didn't say anything, and he continued. "I think that's something your mom went through too."

Before I had the chance to ask what they spent the morning talking about, I caught movement on the monitor in front of us. The suspect was on his feet, moving toward my mother.

I pushed out of MJ's embrace and ran towards the door, kicking it open. Mom was pressed up against the wall, the man's hands holding her wrists. Dad was trying to pull him off of her. Adrenalin pumped through me, and with three quick steps, I was kicking the suspect in the groin.

He went down. He went down fast.

I heard MJ's quick chuckle, but I immediately found turned to my mother. Dad was on the floor handcuffing the man. I grabbed her shoulders and pulled her into me, wrapping my arms so tightly around her.

And at once, I understood.

* * *

I remember being a kid and worrying about Mom and Dad. It got better for me as I got older, and I guess I was desensitized to it all. I couldn't be worried all of the time, and the amount of times one of them got shot was very, very small.

I guess I just forgot what it felt like to really worry like that.

* * *

This was not a 'case well done' situation. No one won. Sure, we arrested a punk who killed not only a young girl, but assaulted a federal agent. But this was no happy ending.

Happy endings are rare in law enforcement.

We sat around in the office, my mom cross legged across my desk, my father in a chair pulled up by Sal. Paper work done, we waited on Leah for a debrief. My father made sports small talk with Ralph and Alex, MJ played some stupid game on his phone, and Mom talked to me.

We talked about our puppies and we talked about Max's baby and we talked about happy things that weren't sad and weren't related to almost dying. I kept watching the corners of MJ's mouth turn up as we'd talk, but his eyes never left his phone screen.

Mom whispered softly to me. "He loves you."

"I know that, Mom."

She grinned again. "Just checking."

A few minutes later, he hoped up and walked over to my desk. He leaned up against the wall behind me, and with a smirk he said, "So tell me more about your barefoot phase."

I leaned forward and pressed my fist gently into my mother's arm. "That was not nice, Mom."

"He's gotta know what he's getting himself into, Callie Anne."

"It's more like what I've already gotten myself into," he smiled. "I think we're far past getting into."

Mom looked up at me. "When are you bringing him over again? I like this one."

I stuck my tongue out at her. MJ just smiled.

"What, we had some good talks today, didn't we Martin?"

MJ laughed softly, bowing his head. "We sure did, Mam."

Mom cocked her head to the side. "Mam?"

"Sorry," he shook his head. "Kensi. I really don't like that though. It's weird, for some reason. I'll work on it." He placed a hand in the center of my back and I shivered.

Mom smiled again. "Whatever works for you, dear. Just no Mrs or Mams."

"You are way to peppy for someone who almost died today," I said.

"Please, I didn't almost die today. I almost died the night of Max's first band concert, the day you took your AP Chem test. Today, your father was in there, you were in the other room. Nothing was going to happen to me. You have to trust that. Trust your training. Trust your team."

I tried to remember Max's first band concert, and I could. But there was no memory whatsoever of her almost dying that day. I tried to remember my AP Chem test, and all I remembered was the anxiety and racing through the FRQs and all the stress. Nothing about Mom almost dying. There were always things Mom and Dad never told me about this job.

"I trust my team." I said it straightforwardly, but based on the pressure added by the hand on my back. I know it meant more than that to someone.

"Good," she said. "I trust your team too."

* * *

A/n: So... sorry about this being short and taking so long. It's been a little crazy around here. This really didn't cover everything I wanted it to, but it works out really. I promise, when we get to the end, it'll all have been said. It will kind of help getting to the end, I think.

With finals and recitals and end of course stuff, I already apologize for my inconsistent schedule. Once I'm officially on break this will flow much better.

Thanks for all of your support!


	23. Onesie

A/n: GUYS HI. I am done with this semester! Yay! It was a real intense couple weeks, but I'm back! Sorry for the delay!

Alright, so this chapter got written and lost and yeah it's a filler but whatever. We're moving on with it. There should be two more chapters, an epilogue, and a rewrite of chapter one before this is wrapped up. But the end is near! Thanks for sticking with me!

* * *

_"Dad!"_

_"Callie, it's okay, I got you. Just break the car."_

_The car slammed to a stop, feet away from a lone cactus._

_"I'm never going to be able to parallel park."_

_"You'll get it."_

_"Yeah, when I'm in my 40s."_

_"You're overreacting. Even your mother can parallel park."_

_"I don't know why you make fun of her driving so much, she's better than you."_

_"Mean!"_

_"Dad!"_

_"Callie, it's going to be okay. I promise you, it's going to be okay."_

_It's going to be okay._

* * *

The warm and sticky night air surrounded us. The bed of Dad's truck has always been significant. It was a great place as a teenager. To take Lillyanne and a bag of smore supplies out into the desert and snack on 'raw smores' and watch the stars. To fall asleep there with my best friend, talking about stupid nothings and who was dating who and why we were best friends. I miss those days.

Dad kicked his feet up, attempting to sit up from his position in the truck bed. "I'm getting too old for this." He looked up at the stars again, smiling. "But it's still easy to clear your head up here."

He's right. The desert hill where I learned to drive will always help me clear my mind. And it's made talking to dad easier.

Remaining in my position, I said, "Dad, I'm sorry."

He shrugged. "I'm not sure you have too much to be sorry for."

"You try to be a good father and I get angry at you for it."

He chuckled. "You're not angry because I'm being your father, you're angry because you're just a little angry soul."

"Hey!" I declared.

"I rest my case," he said. "Ninja assassin."

"Whatever."

He paused. "I don't compare you to Max. I'm proud of you for what you've made of yourself baby girl. I'm going to worry about you, just like I worry about your mother. If I didn't worry, there would be something majorly wrong."

I sat up next to him, resting my head on his shoulder. "I know Dad. I love you."

"I love you too."

My phone buzzed in my pocket, vibrating against the bed of the truck, ringing out.

"Text from the boypartner?"

"Really Dad? Boypartner?"

He shrugged. "What else am I supposed to call him?"

"You can call him MJ." I unlocked my phone and read the message. I think your dog is eating your bra.

Dad gave me a look over that one, because my face definitely scrunched up and got all wrinkled.

"I should probably go," I said.

"Yeah, you probably should."

* * *

Slipping my key into his lock, I pushed open MJ's door. "MJ?" I called out, as I didn't see him anywhere.

"In here!" Sure enough, my boyfriend was sitting at his kitchen table.

"What are you...?" He held my bra in one hand, and a needle and thread in the other.

"I'm trying to... this looks weird doesn't it?" he asked.

With a short laugh, I closed the distance between us, snatching the objects out of his hands. "It does look a little weird."

There was no way in hell he was gonna fix the damage done to the bra, but it's the thought that counts.

I lowered my head and pressed a short kiss to his lips. "Thank you for trying. You're too good to me."

He smiled and started to say something back to me, but my eyes were focused on his counter top.

My heart sped up just a little bit, shifting my gaze a little more. "What's that?"

Stepping away from him, I could get a better view of the bag that sat there.

A bag from Babies R Us?

"Do you know something I don't know about?" I shifted my faze down to my stomache. It was just as flat as usual. "Pretty sure we're not pregnant."

"No no no," he said, standing up and snatching the bag. "Its not for us."

I gave him the "What the heck?" look, so he kept talking.

"I heard Sammy didn't want a baby shower."

I frowned. "My mom?"

He smiled. "I learned a lot. Anyway, I know she's due soon, I wanted to give them something for the baby."

Opening up the bag, he revealed a little red newborn onesie.

He's got to realize how inhuman he is. This boy is not real.

I stepped forward into him again, kissing him fiercely.

"They'll love it. And I love you."


	24. Birthdays

"I thought the coffee at work was bad," he coughed. "But this, this is pure shit."

I laughed. Yeah, hospital coffee is shit. "It's pretty bad. You can go home and get real coffee if you want." I sat down in the hard cafeteria chair. Despite my offer, he sat down across from me. "You don't have to wait here with me." I said.

"It's fine, Dollface. Even though the coffee sucks, there's no place I'd rather be." He traced his fingers around the back of my hand.

Months had passed and things became clearer and clearer. My job was hard but it was something I was born to do. Dating my partner was hard, but he was the only one who made me feel immensely happy. Nights apart were few and far between. I wanted to see him and be with him. I wanted him when things were going great, and slowly, I began to want him even when things were going very very badly.

MJ broke our comfortable silence. "Your dad is coming."

I turned to see him, Eric walking next to him. "Hey guys. Grandpas yet?" I asked.

Dad kissed my forehead. "Not yet. She's getting close though."

"Want some shitty coffee?" I offered Dad my cup.

"Nah, I'll pass. Max needs something to eat though, or he's going to pass out. He said he'd eat a muffin if we got him one."

"And Nell wants some Oreos," Eric said.

"At 9 am?" I asked, laughing.

"You two may have only been here for an hour or two, but we've been here all night," Dad said. I shrugged. He handed Eric a 5 dollar bill and he went to go buy the ordered food items.

Around 7, Mom had called me and said that Sammy had gone into labor. I'd planned to wait until the baby was born to come to the hospital, but MJ said that we should go ahead and come in. I still imagine this was not how he planned to spend his Saturday morning. Although the January air was just a little crisp, it still would have been a wonderful morning for a walk on the beach or something more romantic than terrifible coffee.

"Do you think it'll be a boy or a girl?" MJ asked. Dad smiled. "Girl. Definitely a girl."

"That's what you said about Max before his ultrasound." I said. Dad stuck his tongue out. Eric returned, and they had to go back toward the room.

"What do you think it'll be?" MJ asked me quietly.

"I don't know," I said.

"Come on, guess."

"I don't have a guess."

He frowned. "You like kids, right?"

"Yeah, they're fine."

"You think you'll have kids one day?"

I looked at him a little funny. "What are you asking me, Martindale?"

"I'm asking you if you see yourself as a mother."

"Not really in this job."

"But you want it."

"Maybe, but how would you know?"

He got up, grabbed my coffee cup, and tossed it in the trash. He grabbed my shoulder, pulled me12 in and kissed my cheek. "Because I know you, Callie."

* * *

An hour or so later, we were sitting in the waiting room when Max came out. He looked a little sick and a little tired, but he was smiling.

Mom stood up, everyone waiting. MJ grabbed my hand.

He said slowly, "Its a girl."

The next few hours were a little chaotic. Sammy was of course way too exhausted to see anyone, and they needed time with the baby, and so did the doctors. MJ and I headed home to let AJ out. We also ran to Mom and Dad's to let Princess out before we grabbed lunch. We picked up some lunch for Mom and Dad too, considering how gross the cafeteria was. When we got back to the hospital, it was running on 2 o'clock. Mom was starving, and attacked the bag of fast food I handed her.

She and Dad had gotten to hold the baby in our absence.

"She's the cutest baby I've seen since you were born," Mom said in between bites of her sandwich. "She's perfect."

I smiled. "I bet she is."

* * *

I didn't get my chance to see how perfect she was for hours. Sammy and Max both fell asleep for a while. Nell was holding her and they'd fallen asleep. The rest of us played Euchre in the waiting room. MJ was kicking ass. Max woke up and joined us, and I asked him if he wanted to go for a walk.

The labor and delivery floor was pretty, and though it was obviously a hospital, it wasn't an unpleasant walk. I could tell my brother could use a talk.

"You okay, Max?"

"Yeah, its just," he paused for a moment. "I'm a father. I can't really grasp that."

"I bet it's a lot to take in."

"It really is. Its amazing, yet terrifying."

"Does she have a name yet?"

"Sam's pretty tired. If it was a girl, we were leaning toward Becky or Taylor. We haven't really talked about it today."

"They're both beautiful names."

He smiled. "I can't wait for you to meet her."

"Congratulations Max."

We walked back to the card table, and found Mom and Dad gone. Nell and Eric were engaged in a game of Slap Jack with MJ officiating. Max stepped in to check on Sammy, and kicked our parents out. Max peaked his head out the door.

"Hey sis, come meet my daughter."

All the sudden, I was filled with nerves. 7 PM and I was finally meeting my niece. I didn't move, and I felt MJ push the middle of my back as if to say, "Go."

I stepped quietly into the room, and saw the pink blanket nestled in Sammy's arms. She did look exhausted, but she frowned at me.

"Get your boyfriend in here." I laughed, and traced my steps back to the door and motioned him in with my finger."

He stepped in behind me slowly. Max now had the baby, and he walked toward me and lowered her into my arms.

"Callie and MJ, meet Taylor Marie Deeks."

Her eyes were a beautiful brown like Max's, her hair the texture of his while the color of Sammy's. She was beautiful. She was perfect.

My heart raced as MJ's hands landed on my hips. He looked down over my shoulder at the infant in my arms, and suddenly things felt... right. Like the day undercover that he played with the little kids. Like a punch to my uterus.

Like having a baby could really happen for us. That 'us' could be a real, permanent thing.

* * *

I found myself, not too much later, sitting on a sad excuse of a chair, MJ at my side, Sammy asleep again, Max out with Mom and Dad. Just staring at the sweet baby in my arms.

"What you thinking about?" MJasked.

"Perfection, " I smiled. "Hey, would you mind grabbing my Dad for a second?"

"Yeah, sure," he said.

Before my father appeared, I whispered to my neice.

"Hi Taylor, I'm Callie. We're gonna have a lot of fun. I'll teach you how to fire a gun one day, even though your dad will say you shouldn't learn. I'll always be here for you, okay? You have the coolest grandparents ever. You have a really special birthday, you know that? Your daddy is the one of the best men I know. Your mommy is beautiful. You've got a big life ahead of you." I pressed a feather light kiss to her nose. "I love you."

"Hey baby girl, whatcha need?" My dad said quietly as he stepped into the room.

"Here you go, Grandpa," I said, handing my father the baby. He gladly took little Taylor, but looked at me a little funny.

"January 8, don't you think I forgot what today is." Dad just smiled ear to ear. I gave him a little side hug, gently avoiding the baby. "Happy birthday, you two."

He was so happy, he looked like he could cry. No matter what, he's the best father in the world. He's an amazing man. He deserves happiness, he deserves to share this day with this beautiful angel. "Best present ever," he said softly.


	25. Mine

A/n: FLUFF ALERT YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

* * *

"Where's MJ?"

Apparently my boyfriend is cooler than me, because these are the first things out of my parent's mouths when I walked into their house without him at my side.

"He's fine, we're taking a night off. Calm down."

My mother cackled. "Those don't last long."

"What the hell does that even mean Mom?"

She continued laughing. "Ah, nothing."

It was frustrating, but as the night continued, I become more frustrated and well- confused.

* * *

Holy shit.

The pain burned, damn, where the hell am I?

Someone was stroking my hair, kissing my hairline.

This bed was hard.

Smelled sterile.

I didn't really want to open my eyes, but that was the only way to confirm my situation.

Did I get shot?

Memories flooded back. Why yes, yes I did get shot.

I can't remember a lot of it, but it was a pain. There was a pain in being hit, a pain in falling to the ground, a pain in MJ's eyes as he took off after the shooter, taking him down in two shots and running back to me. A pain in his reassuring voice, "I got you. You're going to be fine. I got you."

It almost hurt more to see the worried look on his face. Worry over me.

My eyes fluttered open, and there he was. "Hey there."

I'm sure I looked like a mess, but I didn't know I actually was a mess. No words came, I just stared. He'd been crying, that was clear. Was I gonna die?

"How do you feel?"

No response.

"Damn it Callie," he walked up to me, grabbing my hand, lacing our fingers together. "This is my fault, I can't…"

"MJ, stop. Could you just maybe tell me if I'm okay?"

He looked a little relieved. "One bullet to the hip. Missed all your important organs and whatnot. You're going to be just fine. You'll have a badass scar, but I have a few of my own."

"So we're gonna compare bullet holes now."

"Always new things to try in the bedroom."

I unlaced our fingers and smacked him.

"Well, Dollface, while you're already pissed off at me for getting you shot and for that comment, you should know your parents know about your tattoo."

"They know?" I tried to sit up, but a pain coursed through my body.

"Easy girl," he said. "Do you know how to be hurt?"

"No," I snapped. "What the heck?"

"The doctors might have said something about how the bullet 'missed the tattoo.'"

"Ugh," I moaned. "What am I even saying I'm a grown woman."

He shrugged. "I'm a little afraid of your parents too."

"Are they here?"

"Yeah, pretty much everyone is. I should let you see them."

"Okay," I said, as he stood to go get them. "Hey MJ?"

"Yeah?"

"This isn't your fault. Don't beat yourself up over this."

He smiled weakly. "Too late."

Before I could protest, he was gone.

* * *

We ordered a pizza and Mom and Dad were watching Love Actually. I might have been on my phone texting him, but whatever. Within ten minutes of the pizza arriving, Dad's phone rang. He looked at Mom, but quickly got up and walked upstairs.

I didn't pay all too much attention to it until he was gone for 10-15 minutes. "Do you know who he's talking to, Mom?"

She looked skeptical. "Yeah, but I don't think you want to know."

"Is he talking to MJ?" That would have pissed me off.

Mom shook her head. "Not exactly."

I saw my Dad standing in the doorway. He held his phone in his hand, his eyes locking mine. He help his phone out to me. "Go talk," he whispered.

"Who is it?"

My Mom placed her hand on my knee as if to say, "Go. Its okay."

I got up, walked across the room. The number in dad's phone was unregistered, and I couldn't tell who it was. My dad pointed toward the stairs, offering me privacy. What the heck?

I settled on my old bed. Been making a lot of memories in here lately.

I pulled the phone to my ear. "Hello?"

"Little Miss Wikipedia! I hear you're dating my son."

* * *

Mom and Dad were just really glad I was okay. Mom was very comforting. Dad tried to downplay it.

"This is a wimpy first time getting shot. You should have seen my first," he said, but I could tell he was kidding. I could tell he was terrified but trying to hide it in light of earlier situations. Letting me be my own woman.

I did get a "we'll talk about that tattoo of yours later", but it wasn't threatening at this point. Yay for being an adult.

Ralph and Alex were also by, offering their 'first time being shot' stories. Not helpful actually. Sal and Keith were more helpful. Not talking about it, definitely more helpful.

Leah's appearance was a bit of a surprise. My boss knocked before entering, quietly sitting next to my bed.

"How are you feeling, Callie?"

"Tired. Sore," I said.

"Understandable. Rough day."

"A little bit."

"Anything you wanna talk about?"

I shook my head. "I don't know."

"I may be your boss Callie, but right now, I'm here as your friend. If there's anything you need- I'm here."

"I'm um, I'm worried about my partner."

She smiled. "I talked to him a little bit ago. I can see why."

I looked confused, and she paused a beat. "Did he ever tell you about his last partner?"

He hadn't, besides being a 'piece of work,' he's never indulged any deeper.

I really wasn't prepared to hear what my boss had to say.

* * *

"I've heard a lot about you. I'd say he's exaggerating, but then I remember that you're Marty's daughter."

"Oh please sir, I'm nothing special."

I was talking to Ray Martindale. On the phone. My boyfriend's dad. My Dad's best friend. This was happening. Yeah it was weird, but also, significant.

Really significant.

What do I even say? He's a gentleman? I'm in love with his son? I'm a mess.

I never thought about what MJ told his parents about me. I assumed he talked to them… but about me? It had just never crossed my mind.

Ray was basically what I expected him to be- a sweethearted goofball. He told me things he probably shouldn't have, but it was interesting and kinda deep.

My Dad smiled at me when I handed his phone back to him. "Okay?" he asked.

"Okay," I smiled.

* * *

As Leah walked out of my room, I felt like I couldn't breathe. Every breath felt like a challenge.

My precious MJ had… what?

I felt conflicted, sad… I wanted to hug him. Right away. But the man was avoiding me. Max stopped in, of course he didn't bring his precious daughter. Sadly. But I get it. My Mom was in as it was getting late. I was to be released in the morning. I wasn't waiting until then to see him.

"Mom, can you do me a favor?"

I didn't even have to say it. She smiled. "I'll go find him."

"Good talk?" Mom asked.

"Yeah. It didn't have to be so weird though."

Dad shrugged. "Seemed like a big deal."

"I mean it was."

Dad was smiling like crazy.

"Dad, what the heck."

He shrugged. Still smiling though.

"Dad."

"Nothin' baby girl, nothing."

I paused for a moment.

Something wasn't adding up.

My Mom found him and sent him to me, dragging his knuckles across the door as he walked in. "Hey, Callie."

He sat down far away from me, and I frowned. "MJ."

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"You didn't come kiss me," I realized how ridiculous that was to say, but it was unlike him. Quiet.

"MJ, come here." I shifted awkwardly in my bad, avoiding the soreness in my hip.

"Dollface, I'm not going to sit in your bed."

"Why not? There are always new things to try in the bedroom."

"That was not funny," he frowned.

"I know, sit."

He did carefully, and I grabbed his head and pulled him into me. I kissed him, and I realized his eyes were tearing up. I couldn't hug him, but I placed my palm over his ear and pulled his head to my chest.

"I'm guessing Leah told you."

"Talk to me, MJ."

"I messed up, Callie."

"MJ."

"He was my partner, and if I'd have been paying attention, he'd still be alive. He was my best friend. A jokester, an idiot. He taught me how to do my job, and I let him get killed. I refused a partner for a year after he was killed, until Leah told me you were coming. I told her no. I said I wouldn't. I wouldn't let you get hurt because I wasn't trying hard enough. But she brought you in anyway. And you changed my life. I thought that maybe I was better, that maybe I deserved to be happy. Happy with you. And then today, I almost lost you. I let you down."

I didn't know what to say. All of this time- these 9 months we've been together- I've been battling 'internal conflict' and whatnot, he's been worried about whether he deserved to be happy. He didn't want a partner because he was afraid of letting me get hurt. He was feeling guilty.

I pulled his head up again, meeting my lips against his. He resisted. "Callie, I don't deserve…"

"To hell with that," I said. "Like you said, Leah told me. Your partner's death was not your fault. She assigned me to you because you were beating yourself into the ground over something that comes with the job. You didn't pull that trigger and you did everything right, It's the life we choose. And also, you don't choose if you deserve me. I want you, and I want you to know that." I paused. My eyes matched his, tears glistening over. "I want to be bold. And I wanna be bold with you."

He snickered. "Stole one out of your Mom's playbook there."

I matched his laugh. "Who told you that story?"

"If you haven't noticed, I'm obsessed with everything about you."

"That's okay."

He perked up a little. "Really?"

"Mhmm. I'm kinda obsessed with you too."

"I don't know."

"Your dad calls me 'Little Miss Wikipedia.' You still have my bra from undercover. You keep contact solution in the bottom drawer of my nightstand. Your favorite brand of beer is actually Sam Adams but you buy Corona because you know its my favorite."

"Okay maybe."

"May I?" I asked. He didn't respond, so I kissed him anyway. "You're not allowed to feel any guilt about this. I'm inexperienced; you can only do so much. I'm gonna be okay, and so are we."

He looked into my eyes. "I love you so much."

I felt fearless. "I love you too. More than I think you understand."

"So this is like, long term?"

"You still thinking about impregnating me?"

"No, no… damn I suck."

"MJ," I said. "Stop being sad. I love you. We're not having babies anytime soon."

"I know. We're so not ready for that."

"You better come up with a better proposal than 'is this long term'?"

"I didn't, that's not what I meant…"

"I know. But that's what you've been thinking about. Whether or not I'd settle down with someone like you."

"Someone like me? And why do you say that?"

I smiled. "I have my sources. And someone amazing, someone who makes me not afraid of this."

"You're not afraid of marrying me?"

"Why should I be?"

"I could think of a few reasons."

"Ugh stop being sad," I shook my finger at him. "You're the best, do you hear me."

He shrugged.

"We're not ready to get married right now, but we will be someday. Don't you be afraid to ask me when we're ready."

He let out a little smile. It spread across his face.

"No more thoughts about impregnating me. I didn't know getting shot was this dirty."

"It's not, I've been meaning to tell you something."

"Now's the time, it's like a tell-all soap opera in here."

"My ringtone, You Are My Sunshine? You, you smell like sunshine."

I bowed my head in a quiet laugh. It was a privilege to fall in love with Ray Martindale's son.

MY partner.

Mine.


	26. Epilogue

A/n: Well, here's the end! The 'Epilogue' of sorts. I know its short, but I hope it wraps up in the little bow I wanted it to. Thanks for all the love, those of you who stuck around. This was a pretty weird little story, that's for sure.

* * *

_10 years later:_

I stand, my mouth agape, staring at my 5 year old daughter. Her face is sad. She looks uncomfortable in her dress and I can tell that- I'm uncomfortable in mine and I'm 35 years old. Her blondish-brown hair in curls, adorned with a dull bow behind her head.

I glance up to see my husband, holding our 10 month old son. MJ Martindale. The love of my life. His eyes are sadder than our daughter's, and I feel a need to hold him. All night long, I'll hold him. But now he'll hold our son up against his chest, cradling him sweetly.

I think about the last ten and eleven years of my life. I think about the days when I began work, the day MJ and I took this crazy wild chance. The days undercover, the day he proposed. It all comes back- our wedding, honeymoon. When my parents finally retired. The day Ray finally moved he and my mother in law back to California. The days of being young and married, with responsibilities to only our Coast Guard and each other. The day I found out I was pregnant. The day HE found out I was pregnant. When Sammy and I were pregnant together. The day our daughter was born. Her birthdays, her trips to the zoo or the train store or the day the training wheels came off her bike. The day our son was born.

Through his sad eyes, a small tear falls down MJ's cheek. She starts again.

"Momma, momma."

Stunned, I reach down and pull her to me. We fall into the couch, and she settles on my lap. "Momma I miss Grandpa Ray."

She cries and I hold her, and look to see MJ walking toward us.

"We all miss him, sweetie. I know honey, let it out."

The phone rings, and she falls into MJ as I reach to grab it, my father.

"Baby girl, Grandpa Deeks is on the phone. You wanna talk to him?"

"No," she says, wiping at her eyes. "He makes me laugh. I'm sad."

I step into the kitchen for a moment to speak to my father. He too sounds quiet. I know he's sad beyond understanding. We all are.

We all cried for hours it seemed. I made her change out of her dress from his funeral, she looked ao uncomfortable I couldn't stand it. We cuddled together, our son fast asleep in his crib.

That's when my daughter asked me a huge question.

"When I was sad at the funeral," she said quietly, "Grandpa Deeks told me about how he fell in love with Mamaw Kensi."

"Yeah?" I replied.

"Did you know she gave him a box? And forgot his birthday?"

"That was a long time ago, but I remember." MJ smiled at me, obviously needing the precious moment between us three.

"So how did you fall in love with Daddy?"

Her question struck me hard, quick. And my mind raced. All the memories flashed once again.

And my mind landed on a day, a day that seemed like ages ago.

The day my brother accidentally told me he was pregnant.


End file.
